Zimbabwe ke against ek hi Test match mein, jo 3 din bhi nahi chala, Ollie Pope ne 171 run ki zabardast inning khel ke sabki bolti bandh kar di. Yeh unka 8th Test century tha, aur interesting baat yeh hai ki har century alag opponent ke khilaaf aayi hai. Is knock ka timing bhi perfect tha, kyunki rumours chal rahe the ki selectors unki jagah Jacob Bethell ko no. 3 pe laane ka plan bana rahe hain India series ke liye, jo 20 June 2025 se Headingley mein start ho rahi hai.
Pope ki inning ko BBC Sport ne “majestic” bola. Unki century, Crawley aur Duckett ke saath milke England ko pehle din hi 498/3 tak le gayi – Bazball style full power mein tha. Is performance ke baad, Pope ne bola:
“Main apne overall game pe kaam kar raha hoon. Chahe Zimbabwe ho, India ya Australia – mera focus hai ek badi inning khelna.”
Is statement ne dikhaya ki Pope sirf media noise pe nahi, apne game pe focus kar raha hai. Captain Ben Stokes aur coach Brendon McCullum bhi unki mental strength aur dedication ko openly appreciate karte rahe hain.
Jacob Bethell ka challenge
Jacob Bethell, 21 saal ka left-handed batter, Pope ke spot ke liye serious contender ban chuka hai. 2024 ke end mein New Zealand ke khilaaf usne average 52 ke saath 3 half-centuries maar ke selectors ko impress kiya. Uska backfoot game Barbadian tracks pe tayar hua hai, aur woh left-arm spin bhi daal sakta hai – yaani full package player.
Bethell Zimbabwe Test nahi khel paya kyunki woh IPL mein Royal Challengers Bengaluru ke liye khel raha tha. Is absence ka Pope ne full advantage uthaya.
Lekin Stokes ne ek statement diya tha:
“You put two and two together, you probably know what’s going to happen,”
jisse speculation aur badh gaya ki ya toh Pope ya Crawley ki jagah jaa sakti hai. Baad mein Stokes ne clear kiya ki unki baat squad return ki thi, XI ki nahi. Aur woh Pope ke support mein bole:
“Popey meri team ka vice-captain hai. Maine match se pehle hi usse clear kar diya tha ki uski jagah safe hai.”
Pope ka versatility aur resilience
Pope ka 2024 ka form up-and-down tha. Hyderabad mein India ke khilaaf uska 196 run ka knock historic tha, lekin saal ka overall average sirf 33.13 raha – lowest among batters with 3 centuries in the year. India ke against uska average 24.60 (13 Tests) aur Australia ke against 15.70 (5 Ashes Tests) hai – yehi numbers uske critics highlight karte hain.
Lekin Pope ki adaptability next level hai – kabhi wicketkeeper, kabhi opener, kabhi no. 6, aur captaincy bhi ki hai. New Zealand series mein Bethell ke liye Pope ne khud ko number 6 pe shift kiya aur keeping bhi ki, jab Jamie Smith paternity leave pe tha. McCullum ne usse “one of the most resourceful cricketers” bola.
“Noise” se deal karne ka tareeka
Pope ne openly bola ki woh media aur logon ki baaton se deal karna seekh gaya hai.
“I’ve learned to live with the noise,” – BBC Sport ko diya gaya ye quote dikhata hai ki usne pressure ko handle karna seekh liya hai.
Zimbabwe ke against uski batting confident thi, ek early lbw scare ke baad bhi woh dominate karta raha. Uski 171 runs ki inning 93.2 strike rate se aayi, jisme 14 fours aur 1 six tha – aggression + control ka perfect combo.
Michael Vaughan ne bhi uski tareef ki, bolte hue:
“I was impressed with Pope because of the reports that Bethell will be back in.”
Yaani, ye knock sirf ek century nahi thi, balki pressure mein diya gaya ek strong reply tha.
Pope ne khud bhi bola:
“Jacob ne New Zealand mein achha khela, but mera kaam hai team mein contribute karna aur vice-captain ke role ko justify karna.”
Aage ka raasta – India aur Australia series
India aur Australia ke against aane wali series Pope ke career ke liye defining hogi. Bethell wapas squad mein aane wala hai, toh top-order ke liye competition tight rahega. Social media pe fans aur pundits ka kehna hai ki Zimbabwe ke against century se zyada consistent form chahiye hoga.
Ek user ne likha:
“Pope ko apni jagah secure rakhni hai toh India ya Australia ke against bhi century maarni padegi.”
Wahin dusra bola:
“Uska advantage hai – keeping kar sakta hai, batting order mein flexible hai, aur jab bhi century karta hai, bada karta hai.”
Stokes aur McCullum ka backing uske favour mein hai. Stokes ka clarification bhi dikhata hai ki Pope still Test plans ka important part hai. Bethell versatile hai, especially Aussie pitches ke liye fit lagta hai, lekin Pope ke 2022 se no. 3 pe 43 ka average uski jagah justify karta hai – consistency hi key hogi.
Ollie Pope ne Zimbabwe ke against 171 run bana kar sab critics ko jawab de diya. Bethell ki return ke beech mein ye knock ek clear message tha – Pope abhi bhi team ke core mein hai. Uski mental strength, flexibility, aur Stokes ka trust usko ek solid position mein rakhta hai.
Aane wale high-pressure matches mein usse apni form maintain karni hogi – lekin agar woh “noise block” karte hue aise hi khelta raha, toh uski jagah squad mein nahi, playing XI mein bhi secure rahegi.
