Ollie Pope believes Brendon McCullum made difficult decisions in order to move the England Test team forward for the future; watch the second Test between England and Sri Lanka live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday, August 29 (first ball 11am)
Thursday 29 August 2024 09:55, UK
Ollie Pope believes England red-ball head coach Brendon McCullum has made "brutal decisions" to move the Test side forward, most recently James Anderson's retirement.
McCullum made a visit from New Zealand in May to discuss Anderson's England future and following the talks, the Lancashire legend retired at Lord's against West Indies in July as England's highest Test wicket-taker of all time, having taken 700 in 187 games.
McCullum's reasoning was that he wanted to modify his side's seam attack and build towards the future with one eye on the 2025-26 Ashes.
Ahead of England's second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's, which starts on Thursday live on Sky Sports, stand-in captain Pope said that the young players who have joined the Test outfit, plus Chris Woakes leading the seam attack, deserve credit for their efforts.
Indeed, despite personnel changes, England still feel they are playing a "different style of cricket" that will keep the team heading in the right direction.
"We have made some slight adjustments and obviously there has been a couple of injuries as well with Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley up top," said Pope.
"They are just unfortunate injuries that happen. At the same time, it is a great opportunity for others guys to come in and get the go that they deserve.
"With what Brendon did leading into this summer, he made some pretty brutal changes that he thought would take the team to a better place moving forward.
"I think we showed last week. We don't use the term 'Bazball', but we played quote 'a different style of cricket' and I think that is something that can keep taking us forward as a team.
"When we can be ruthless, we have got to try to be ruthless just to win as many games as possible.
"Other days we will go out and score a little more freely and potentially take the wickets in a shorter amount of time.
"It is credit to the guys who have come in. Jamie Smith, the way he played in both innings is credit to him and shows that we are taking this team forward."
In England's five-wicket victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka, Pope had the added element of being stand-in captain for the injured Stokes.
Pope has been vice-captain of the side for a while now but admitted the occasion at Old Trafford had a "debut feeling" to it.
"It is obviously different captaining for the first time. It is a fresh start but for me, it just has a slightly different feel the first time you do it," Pope said.
"It is almost like that kind of debut feeling again. But at the same time, I really enjoyed the week.
"Obviously the runs didn't come for me, but for the team to get the win, that is the most important thing.
"I think the first time you do anything like that, I remember I was knackered after day one and I hadn't done anything but fielded.
"It is good to get that first win out the way, first win on the board.
The England No 3 struggled to get runs on the board in the first Test, scoring 12 in total - just six in each innings, but Pope has sought advice from former England captain Joe Root on how to keep playing his game while also dealing with the extra responsibility.
"You can go work in the nets and stuff, but once you are back in the changing rooms, you are back to being captain and leader again," he added.
"That is something I have spoken to Joe Root about because he was a very successful England captain and did Joe Root things with the bat throughout.
"Hopefully over the next couple of weeks I can get some scores for the team.
"The first one was probably a bit of learning from me on how to manage the two things separately.
"I don't see it as a negative on my batting, There are two more weeks of it so it is not like I am staring down the barrel."
Pathum Nissanka is set for his first Test appearance in two years and could open the batting for Sri Lanka at Lord's.
Fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has also been recalled, with Kusal Mendis and Vishwa Fernando dropping out.
Dinesh Chandimal is included but may not keep wicket as he is apparently still in discomfort from being rapped on the thumb by Mark Wood in Manchester, with Nishan Madushka on standby to take the gloves.
Sri Lanka will not have to contend with Wood's express pace this week as he misses out due to injury but Dhananjaya de Silva argued Woakes was harder to face.
"I am not concerned about the speed," Dhananjaya said. "Speed is not troubling us. It is the line and length that's troubling us. Chris Woakes is able to bowl 20 to 30 balls at one area and that's what is troubling us."
Watch the second Test between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10am on Thursday August 29 (first ball, 11am).
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