England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, has voiced his frustration over how his pre-match remarks about Jacob Bethell were interpreted by the media as part of an agenda against Ollie Pope. Following a decisive innings-and-45-run triumph over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, Stokes took time in the post-match discussions to back his vice-captain, who scored an impressive 171 in the opening innings.
Stokes was particularly irked about the portrayal of his statements after being asked on Wednesday about Bethell’s potential return for the upcoming series against India. Bethell, who played at No.3 in England’s previous series in New Zealand and performed well, is currently occupied with the IPL. Meanwhile, due to injury-related team changes, Pope, who had taken over the No.3 position since 2022, had to drop down the order and assume wicketkeeping duties temporarily.
With Bethell having accumulated 260 runs, including three half-centuries in New Zealand, his omission created a temporary respite from selection conundrums. However, Stokes was posed a question during a media briefing about whether Bethell still held the ‘incumbent No.3’ status. Stokes replied: “If you’re smart enough, the series that Beth had out in New Zealand, obviously he’s going to be back in the UK for that India series. So, I think you put 2 and 2 together, you probably know what’s going to happen.”
It was the coverage of this statement that left Stokes bewildered, as he later clarified his intention was simply to highlight Bethell’s return to the squad, not necessarily the starting XI. In the aftermath of England’s convincing win, he reiterated his belief in Pope, who is set to participate in the India series beginning at Headingley on 20th June.
Stokes told BBC Test Match Special, “There’s always someone going to be under the spotlight. We’ve come into this game and I’ve personally felt that it was a bit of a… I don’t know… not a vendetta… but I got asked a simple question about Bethell, said put two and two together, he comes back into the squad and then all of a sudden it turns into something that suits the agenda of the time.”
He continued to praise Pope, noting his significant contributions and leadership within the team. “He’s my vice-captain, and he’s been incredible for me at No.3 and the team. I think he’s averaging over 40 now (43.06 at No.3), so it just suited what was being said, to be honest. Very, very pleased for him that he went out there and played the way that he did.”
Pope’s influence was also appreciated for his tactical insights, particularly beneficial to Stokes when bowling. “He’s a quality player. As I said, since he’s gone up to No.3, since I’ve been captain, he’s performed very, very well. Him being vice-captain, he comes up with some great ideas out in the middle,” added Stokes.
Ultimately, Pope’s innings included a valuable 137-run partnership, reinforcing his integral role within the team. England’s focus now shifts to preparing for the challenges ahead against India.
