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Stick With Pope Or Back Jacob Bethell: England’s Dilemma Intensifies Before Ashes 2025

Jatin

Ollie Pope vs Jacob Bethell [Source: @82iconic, @KohliSexual973/x.com]Ollie Pope vs Jacob Bethell [Source: @82iconic, @KohliSexual973/x.com]

The dust has barely settled on England’s 2-2 series draw against India at home and the buzz is already shifting to the big one: The Ashes 2025, set to kick off in Australia this November. While the series against India had its fair share of highlights: openers firing, Stokes pulling off his all-round brilliance and bowlers hitting the right notes, there is one spot in the lineup that still feels shaky, the No. 3 position.

And at the centre of this tug-of-war are Ollie Pope, the seasoned campaigner who has been around the block and Jacob Bethell, the prodigious leftie who has shown a glimpse of something special.

So, who should England back to walk in after the first wicket falls in the high-stakes battle Down Under? Let’s break it down, layer by layer.

Pope's Patchy Form Raising Red Flags

Ollie Pope’s career numbers aren’t bad on paper. In 61 Tests, he has scored 3607 runs at an average of 35.36 with 9 tons and 16 fifties. And when you narrow it down to just his record at No. 3, his designated role, he has got 2330 runs in 57 innings at an impressive average of 41.60 with 8 hundreds. That is solid.

But the problem lies in the now. In the recent five-Test series against India, Pope managed just 306 runs from 9 innings, averaging 34.00 with a lone century and a fifty. Not exactly poor but not match-defining either. He often got starts, looked busy at the crease but either played across the line or got cleaned up by straight seamers.

That’s not a new story for Pope. His old nemesis, getting bowled by pace, continues to haunt him. When the ball starts doing a bit off the deck or in the air, Pope’s bat often comes down at an angle. That front pad plants itself, the bat swings across and before you know it, the stumps are a mess.

It has happened far too often in the second innings of Tests and it is a real worry heading into Australian conditions where bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins feast on technical weaknesses.

Jacob Bethell Brings Freshness And Flexibility

Now enter Jacob Bethell: young, fearless and a breath of fresh air in England’s Test mix. The left-hander may only have 4 Tests under his belt but the youngster has got serious ticker. He hassscored 271 runs at 38.71 and while he is yet to raise his bat for a hundred, he has already bagged three fifties.

But here is where it gets juicy. In England’s tour of New Zealand late last year, Bethell stepped in at No. 3 in Pope’s absence in his debut series and bossed it. He hammered 360 runs in 6 innings at 52.00, including a blistering 50* off 37 balls on debut, joint second-fastest half-century on debut for England.

On the contrary, he didn’t look half as confident when he was pushed down the order during the final Test of the India series at The Oval. It’s clear: No. 3 is where he thrives. He likes the ball coming on, he has got that left-hander’s natural angle advantage and he bowls a bit of off-spin too, a handy bonus when you are picking a squad for five tough Ashes Tests.

Technical Flaws On Both Sides

Let’s not sugarcoat it as both Pope and Bethell have their flaws.

Pope’s issues are well-known. Plays across the line too often. Head falls over. Gets bowled. And that problem is only magnified in the second innings when the pitch starts misbehaving. Against a top-notch Australian pace unit, this could be a massive problem.

Bethell’s not bulletproof either. His front foot tends to go too far across and his head sometimes falls over. That can be a red flag against high-end swing bowling. But he is young, still learning and more importantlym he is a leftie. And if you look at the records, Australia’s fast bowlers tend to have slightly better numbers against right-handers.

What Is The Road Ahead?

Pope might still get a crack at the first Ashes Test or maybe the first two. He has got the experience, the dressing room backs him and he has shown he can bounce back. But if he fails again, especially on Australian tracks, the call for Bethell will grow louder.

England need a rock at No. 3, someone who can blunt the new ball, absorb pressure and take the fight back to the Aussies. Right now, Bethell looks like the better fit for those shoes even if they are still a bit big for him.

Verdict

It is a tough call. Stick with Pope and hope he finds rhythm or back Bethell and let him grow under fire? Either way, England can’t afford to get this decision wrong, not when you are heading into an Ashes series in Australia.

If Pope splutters again, expect England to roll the dice on Bethell sooner rather than later. Because in the furnace of the Ashes, you don’t just need form, you need fight, flamboyance and fearlessness.

And Bethell might just bring all three!