Jasprit Bumrah has built a reputation for breaking top orders with relentless accuracy and variation. Among the batters who have felt the heat most is England’s vice-captain Ollie Pope.
Set to bat at No. 3 in the first Test at Headingley, Pope finds himself under the spotlight. Not just for his form but for his poor returns against Bumrah.
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The Indian pacer has dismissed Pope five times in Test cricket. He conceded just 186 runs off him in total.
It’s a matchup that's gone heavily in Bumrah’s favour so far. But Pope is not walking in blind this time.
He has spent the buildup to the series identifying what has gone wrong and how to fix it.
What did Ollie Pope say about facing Jasprit Bumrah?
Speaking to The Times, Pope explained how he is working on triggering earlier in his stance to combat Bumrah’s unique release and deceptive pace.
"Maybe getting my trigger in a bit earlier just to give myself a bit more time. He’s one of those bowlers that doesn’t necessarily clock the high speeds. But it certainly feels like it’s that bit quicker," he said.
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He also highlighted strike rotation to avoid being locked into long, testing spells by the Indian pacer.
"If he’s bowling a good spell, I’m thinking, 'Right, how can I rotate and get to the other end?'" he added.
Pope admitted that Bumrah presents a full-package threat - pace, accuracy, stamina and smarts.
"You’re constantly trying to find ways to put him under some pressure. He can bowl 20 overs in a day. He’s a highly skilled bowler, one of the best in the world, if not the best," he told TalkSport.
With Bumrah likely to play the opener in Leeds, Pope knows he won’t have much time to ease into the series. His technical and mental adjustments will be put to the test immediately.