England vice-captain Ollie Pope mentioned that his team will not complain even if India produces rank changes in the upcoming five-match Test series. Olie Pope commented on the home team’s strategic use of pitches, comparing them to English pitches.
The England team will tour India for a five-match Test series as part of the current WTC 2023-25 cycle. The focus will be on pitching preparation for the upcoming series as the hosts have announced four specialists in their attack for the first two matches.
It’s about finding a method to combat it – Ollie Pope
Ollie Papa He said the pitch conditions may favor the spinners in the upcoming series against India. Pope highlighted the excitement of low-scoring Test matches, and the team will focus on finding effective methods to counter opposition spinners.
“In England we could leave more grass on the pitch to satisfy our incredible seamers, so it is no surprise that India do the same to satisfy their spinners. And actually I think it’s surprising to see low-scoring Test matches.” Ollie Pope was quoted by The Guardian.
“I watched a bit of South Africa against India and it was great – guys scoring really tough runs and the ball flying. The scores might be similar in India, but if the pitches spin from the first ball, we won’t complain. It’s about finding a method to combat it.”
The second Test between India and South Africa concluded in two days. Team India achieved victory by seven wickets, making it the shortest Test match in history. It is worth mentioning that the first test of the series in Centurion also ended in three days.
There will be a lot of noise outside -Ollie Pope
The Young England batsman anticipates that the series pitches will be a major topic of discussion in India, but both teams will compete on the same surface. Pope emphasized the importance of being well prepared to play against quality Indian bowlers.
“There will be a lot of outside noise. And presentations can be a great conversation starter. But we must remember that the two teams play on exactly the same field, so we must be as well equipped as possible.” added the Pope.
The England team suffered a 1-3 defeat on their previous tour of India in 2021. The visiting team began the four-match series with a victory in the first match. However, England suffered three consecutive defeats as the batsmen found challenges against the Indian bowlers.
The Test series will begin in Hyderabad from January 25-29, followed by the second match in Visakhapatnam from February 2-6. The next matches are scheduled for Rajkot (February 15-19), Ranchi (February 23-27) and Dharamshala (March 7-11).
England achieved their last victory on Indian soil during the 2012-13 tour, recording a 2-1 victory in the four-match Test series led by Sir Alastair Cook. However, their subsequent tours to India in 2017 and 2021 resulted in defeats, with scores of 4-0 and 3-1, respectively.
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