Overview

• Pope had been England’s designated No. 3 before indifferent form on the New Zealand tour and his 171 reaffirmed his spot.
• Stokes highlighted that managing public scrutiny is part of international cricket and praised Pope’s resilience under pressure.
• Jacob Bethell’s three fifties against New Zealand and white-ball success kept him in contention but fell just short.
• At No. 3, Pope has scored 2,024 runs in 28 matches at an average of 43.06, including seven centuries and a 196 in Hyderabad.
• The selection underscores England’s ongoing ’Bazball’ approach, blending aggressive intent with established experience under coach Brendon McCullum.