Sam Curran's example inspires England new boy Ollie Pope

Middle-order batsman, primed for Test debut at age 20, hopes to emulate Surrey county teammate at Lord's this week

Cricket - England nets - Lord's, London, Britain - August 7, 2018   England's Ollie Pope during nets   Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Powered by automated translation

India will be up against another fearless 20-year-old cricketer this week, with Ollie Pope primed to make his Test debut for England at Lord's on Thursday.

Only last week, Sam Curran had stunned the world's No 1 Test team with a match-total five wickets and 87 runs at Edgbaston to help England to a 31-run win. Curran, playing in only his second Test, was named man of the match for his efforts as the hosts took a 1-0 series lead.

It is why Pope, who was called into the squad for the second Test in place of the dropped Dawid Malan, hopes to follow in the footsteps of his Surrey teammate when he thrown in at the deep end at Lord's.

The top-order batsman, who has played just 15 first-class matches, would love the chance to prove in London, as Curran did in Birmingham, the old adage that 'if you're good enough you're old enough' right.

"The way he [Curran] played last week can give me confidence to know I can do it," Pope said on Tuesday.

"I've played with him since we were 14 or 15 - as soon as he came over from Zimbabwe - and we've gone through the same path.

"I've had a good season so far. I have confidence in my own game to take the next step. You hear stories of some of the greats of the game, people like Alastair Cook. I think he was 20 when he made his debut, so it's not like it hasn't been done before."

Pope has been in brilliant form for County Championship leaders Surrey this season, scoring 684 runs at a huge average of 85.50, including three centuries and a top score of 158 not out.

He also made an unbeaten fifty for the second-string England Lions in a 253-run win over India A in a first-class fixture at Worcester last month.

______________

Read more:

Chitrabhanu Kadalayil: Mixed emotions could turn to despair for India if Lord's result is same

Talking points ahead of England v India Test at Lord's: Batting support for Virat Kohli a priority

Paul Radley: England's 1,000th Test may not save five-day game but it will live long in memory

England v India predictions: In-form captain Virat Kohli to inspire his side to Test series victory

______________

But if England decide to bat Pope in Malan's No 4 position, when the second Test starts on Thursday, he will be two places up the order from the number six berth he usually occupies at Surrey.

Pope, asked if he would be ready to bat at No 4, replied: "If required, yes. Especially against this India side, where they bowl a lot of spin.

"It's not massively different. When I bat at six sometimes I've been in the 10th over, other times I'm in for the second new ball," he added.

"In the four to six region I don't think there's a massive difference in the way you play."