Ollie Pope's stumps left in a mess by Pat Cummins' stunning yorker (ICC Twitter)
Former England cricketer, Geoffrey Boycott, has expressed his reservations about Ollie Pope's suitability to bat at the crucial No. 3 position, deeming him a disappointment. Boycott highlighted concerns over Pope's defensive technique, asserting that the young Surrey batsman appears determined to score off every delivery which he reckoned is a risky approach in the face of the new ball.
Boycott questions Pope's defensive skills
"Ollie Pope has been a disappointment at No.3. For me, he looks intent on scoring off every ball against the new ball; that is very dangerous," remarked Boycott in his column for The Telegraph.
Pope put in promising performances in the first innings of both Tests. However, his second innings outings were marred by a recurrence of the same vulnerability as both Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc managed to breach his defenses with penetrating deliveries, resulting in his stumps being shattered.
Unfortunately, on Tuesday, the English vice-captain got ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes 2023 after sustaining a shoulder injury during the Lord's Test, where he could score just 42 & 3 merely. The England & Wales Cricket Board, who announced the squad for the Heedingly Test on Monday, went against naming Pope's replacement, opening a space for either Dan Lawrence or Moeen Ali.
Boycott critiques Brook's shot selection
The seasoned cricket pundit further drew attention to the performances of Harry Brook, who has shown tremendous potential since making his mark in international cricket. Boycott noted that despite Brook's immense talent, he often succumbs to the temptation of going after every delivery, an approach Boycott deemed imprudent.
"Since his arrival in international cricket, Harry Brook has looked like a world-beater, new star, but he is getting himself out. He is trying to whack anything and everything," stated the 82-year-old.
The England great characterized Brook's batting approach as reckless and an unfortunate squandering of his immense talent. While Boycott emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset, he urged the prodigious batter to apply strategic thinking and make calculated decisions based on the probabilities of success.
"That's crazy batting and a waste of his talent. By all means, stay positive - nobody wants him to change and become defensive - but use your brain, and bat the percentages," concluded Boycott.
 "Jatin")
