"Ollie Pope is the most vulnerable" - Nasser Hussain believes Ben Stokes could replace stand-in skipper in 2nd ENG vs PAK Test 2024
Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes stand-in skipper Ollie Pope's place could be in jeopardy should regular skipper Ben Stokes return to the side for the second Test against Pakistan. Stokes has been recovering from a torn hamstring sustained in August and could be back playing as a specialist batter in the next Test.
Meanwhile, Pope led his troops to an emphatic victory by innings an 47 runs in the opening Test but was dismissed for a duck with the bat. It was his sixth score under 20 in the last seven Test innings.
With the rest of the batters in prime form and England going with three pacers and two spinners in the first Test, the axe could fall on Pope.
Speaking to Sky Sports at the end of the first Test at Multan, Hussain said:
"Pope almost gave things away [in his interview] that Stokes will be fit, but he can't play as one of only three seamers, that is for certain. He has to be one of four, leaving either a spinner or batter vulnerable. If he's playing as a batter only, then Ollie Pope is the most vulnerable. I know he's captain, but he won't be if Ben plays."
He added:
"It's a tricky one: if he can bowl a bit, you could maybe bring him in for the second spinner. If it's the same sort of pitch, it won't spin much, not until day four or day five, so could Stokes maybe come in for Shoaib Bashir?"
While Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett scored quickfire half-centuries, Harry Brook and Joe Root broke several records during their triple and double tons, respectively.
"He's been training really well this week" - Ollie Pope on Ben Stokes
England's stand-in skipper Ollie Pope said regular Test captain Ben Stokes is keen to return to the playing XI after missing their previous four Tests.
After leading England to a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies, Stokes missed the entire Sri Lanka series at home that England won 2-1 under Pope.
"I'm actually not 100 per cent [Stokes' return]. He's been training really well this week. He's as keen as ever to get playing again, so fingers crossed he's all good," said Pope to Sky Sports.
Despite playing 50 Tests, Pope continues to search for consistency, averaging under 35.
The second England-Pakistan Test begins at the same venue (Multan) on October 15.