"Not going to change how we play": England's Ollie Pope ahead of 4th Test against India
Feb 21, 2024
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], February 21 : Ahead of the fourth Test against India, England batter Ollie Pope said that the absence of Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will not change Three Lions' playing style and added that the atmosphere in the team is good despite the loss.
The fourth Test of the five-match series between India and England will take place from Friday onwards in Ranchi. India is leading the series 2-1. England had lost the third Test at Rajkot by 434 runs, which is India's biggest-ever Test win.
"He (Bumrah) is going to be a miss for them but it does not change the way we go about. Mohammed Siraj bowled well in the last game too, picked four wickets. We are not going to change how we play. There would still be reverse swing and there are still other guys," Ollie Pope said during the pre-match press conference.
Pope also said that though pictures of skipper Ben Stokes bowling is going around online, it is still not confirmed that he will bowl. Stokes has not been bowling a lot for the last two years or so due to knee issues, for which he underwent a successful surgery just after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India last year.
"There is definitely a chance but Ben Stokes has not confirmed that he will bowl. Depends on how he pulls up tomorrow," Pope said.
Pope said that the atmosphere is nice within the dressing room despite the loss and they have left the massive hammering received at Rajkot behind them.
"It was disappointing how we played on last two days in Rajkot but we have left it there. The vibe in the group is very good. Guys are fresh and ready to go again. We left the ground frustrated. Disappointing in the way we did not execute our plans. Nothing wrong with the way. In India, it is about fine margins," Pope said.
Talking about the pitch at Ranchi, Pope said that the pitch looks interesting, with one half having flaky cracks and other one being good.
"Looks like a very interesting pitch. Plenty of platy cracks, one half is good. The other half has flaky cracks, look like. Not a very belter kind of surface. So let's see what happens when India has a look at it later in the day. Every chance India can play an extra spinner - Axar Patel definitely an option for them. They have watered the pitch so potentially an extra spinner could be seen from India," Pope concluded.
