‘He’s a high-quality player’ – Stuart Broad heaps praise on Ollie Pope following ton in third Test

Stuart Broad and Ollie Pope. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

England’s stand-in skipper Ollie Pope recently put forth an exceptional performance against Sri Lanka. Playing on the first day of the third Test, Pope scored a brilliant 103* runs, helping England post a total of 221 runs on Day 1. Filling in for regular skipper Ben Stokes, Pope had been under immense pressure after a string of subpar performances.

His century against Sri Lanka on Day 1 was his seventh in Tests, and his performance at The Oval attracted many eyes towards him, one of them being the eye of former pacer Stuart Broad.

Talking about Pope, Broad highlighted how playing under familiar conditions helped Pope regain his form. “I think when you’re struggling for a bit of form or rhythm, coming back home where he bats so well is the perfect remedy. If he could have chosen anywhere to bat in these conditions, it would have been The Oval, He’s a high-quality player. Once he gets in, he is always going to punish you,” Broad told Sky Sports Cricket.

Also Read: Ollie Pope breaks new ground in Tests, achieves distinguished feat after impressive display at The Oval

He loves this ground: Nasser Hussain

Furthermore, former England skipper Nasser Hussain also heaped praise on Ollie Pope for stepping up and playing at a time when his side needed him to.

“He started the summer well but fell away a little bit. I liked the way he’s worked at his game. He was forcing himself forward, getting in better positions defensively, while still being aggressive,” Hussain said.

“He loves this ground, which helps when you come here a bit out of nick. That was a special moment for him,” he added.

Day 1 of the third Test between England and Sri Lanka did not play to its full potential. Bad light saw the day end after just 44.1 overs being bowled. England maintained cruise control throughout the day, and they aimed to continue their form on Day 2 as well.