Ollie Pope has faced some memorable dismissals by Jasprit Bumrah and outlined adjustments he plans to make to better counter the bowler.
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Jasprit Bumrah Looms Large as England Prepares to Face India’s Strike Bowler
Jasprit Bumrah will be India’s biggest weapon heading into their five-match tour of England. Even if he doesn’t play all five matches, the games he does feature in could be pivotal, a fact well known to England’s batting lineup.
One batter who has historically struggled against Jasprit Bumrah but will face the tough challenge of opening against him at number 3 is Ollie Pope, confirmed for that spot in the first Test at Headingley. Bumrah has dismissed Pope five times in Test cricket, with Pope averaging under 19 against him from 186 runs.
Speaking to The Times about the technical adjustments he’s considering to counter Bumrah, Pope highlighted the need for an earlier trigger to handle Jasprit Bumrah’s awkward release and pace.
“Maybe getting my trigger in a bit earlier just to give myself a bit more time. He’s one of those bowlers that, with his action and where he releases it from, doesn’t necessarily clock the high speeds that some of the guys clock, but it certainly feels like it’s that bit quicker,” explained England’s vice-captain. “With the skills he’s got as well, it’s being aware of that.”
‘Best bowler in the world…’
Ollie Pope’s struggles against Jasprit Bumrah have included some memorable dismissals, like the perfectly executed yorker that uprooted both batter and stumps. Aware of Bumrah’s all-round bowling threat from multiple series encounters, Pope has been keen to adapt his approach.
“I think I’ve played him in probably three different series now, and you’re constantly trying to find ways to put him under some pressure. I mean, he can bowl 20 overs in a day — that’s a lot. So, the way we talk about cricket is, you want to absorb pressure when needed, and then, if necessary, try to put a guy under a little bit of pressure,” Pope told TalkSport.
“That doesn’t mean trying to smash him to the boundary. It could just be rotating strike. If he’s bowling a good spell, I’m thinking, ‘Right, how can I rotate and get to the other end?’ And my partner’s thinking the same, so he [Bumrah] doesn’t get six balls at you in a row and use all his skills. He’s a highly skilled bowler, one of the best in the world, if not the best,” Pope concluded.