Ollie Pope Faces One Last Chance to Save England in the Ashes

England's Ashes bid hinges on Ollie Pope, whose form has once again wavered under pressure in Australia. After a promising start, the 27-year-old's run drought resurfaced in Adelaide, leaving England with little room for error in the rest of the series.

In Adelaide, Pope lingered at the crease, but the dismissal on day two added to a growing list of struggles since Perth. A first-innings 46 suggested potential, but his subsequent dismissals in Brisbane and Adelaide have overwritten that hope.

Adelaide setback and the pattern re-emerges

He endured a tight lbw shout that went against him when a straight delivery from Cameron Green would have clipped leg stump by inches. In the following over, he faced a shorter ball and then played a wild stroke that summed up the series nerves. The sequence underlined a slide back into earlier flaws.

Form, fears, and the numbers

Earlier in the series he showed calm and control in Perth with 46, but his batting has since regressed. Across the current World Test Championship cycle, Pope averages around 28.83 per dismissal, with 24 Tests yielding four figures and 15 single-figure scores alongside three centuries.

Against Australia, his record reads 15 innings without a fifty and an average of 17.66.

History and the pressure cooker

His Ashes journey includes a dislocated shoulder at Lord's in 2023, a moment that briefly spared him from three Tests on that tour. England then recalled him, but the pressure has persisted as he has navigated a changing team setup.

Captain Ben Stokes has defended Pope in the past, noting his high workload and value to the side, while editorial chatter around potential replacements has persisted. The team briefly flirted with the idea of Jacob Bethell, a 21-year-old left-hander who starred in the New Zealand tour last year but has played little red-ball cricket this season.

Bethell's return would come with practical trade-offs: if England shifted Pope to keep and dropped Jamie Smith, their keeper-batter balance would be tested. On stats alone, Pope has been effective behind the stumps, averaging 45.60 in six Tests as a stand-in keeper—the best by any England keeper in over a century in such a spell, though the role would complicate batting balance.

Experts have also floated the possibility of a reshuffle, with former captain Michael Vaughan suggesting the number three spot may not be delivering the desired return, raising questions about whether Pope should remain there or drop down the order.

For now, Pope has one last opportunity to anchor England at number three in Melbourne. After 64 Tests and 34 innings at three, a single defining innings could re-establish his place in the side.

Expert view

Expert note: Dawid Malan points to Pope's instinct to chase a start and suggests slowing his pace as a way to reset nerves and guard against impulsive shots. He argues that taking a moment to breathe can help him regain balance at the crease.

Conclusion

England's Ashes campaign remains in the balance, with Pope's form at the center of the debate. A composed, patient innings in Melbourne could reimagine his role and future, while a failure to back up Perth's promise risks deeper questions about personnel and structure for the rest of the series.

Short summary: Pope's Adelaide dismissal capped a worrying trend after Perth's early promise. England will be watching Melbourne closely, hoping he can reclaim his calm at the crease. The team may also weigh changes, including Bethell's recall or a rethink on keeper balance, as they chase a critical win to stay alive in the series.

Key insight: Pope's ability to reset his tempo and play at his own pace could be the difference England needs to revive their Ashes challenge. Source: BBC Sport

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