Ben Stokes explains Ollie Pope's selection for first India Test ahead of Jacob Bethell

Published - 19 Jun 2025, 19:46 IST | Updated - 19 Jun 2025, 20:02 IST

England revealed their playing XI for the first Test against India in the five-match series, which kicks off at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, June 20. One of the interesting calls taken by the England management was leaving out Jacob Bethell and giving Ollie Pope the nod to bat at No. 3.

Pope had been England's No. 3 batter in Tests for quite some time. However, due to a period of indifferent form, he was demoted lower down the order on the tour of New Zealand late last year. Bethell batted at No. 3 in the series and scored three fifties in as many Tests. The southpaw was battling with Pope for a spot at No. 3 against India. However, it's the right-handed batter who will get a chance to face the music.

In the pre-match press conference, England captain Ben Stokes revealed that Pope's century in the four-day Test against Zimbabwe last month in Nottingham helped him win the race. The 27-year-old smashed 171 off 166 balls on a belter of a track.

"Well, the big selection just came from not us, um. It will be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was 170. That's pretty much all I need to say on that," said Stokes.

The legendary all-rounder said that Pope's exhilarating century showed that he isn't perturbed by outside noise, and he can handle pressure. Stokes, however, admitted that it is hard for players nowadays to avoid seeing criticism that's coming their way.

"I think in this day and age, it's very tough not to see all the kinds of speculation and stuff around it just because of how easily accessible things are. You don't even have to go and hunt for it to see it these days, I think, scoring 170, in his last Test matches sort of showing how well he's handled that extra scrutiny of it, and it comes with the territory, I guess. When you are an international player, it comes with it," Stokes said.

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"It's one of those things where when as a kid you dream about playing for England and it's an unbelievable thing, then the other side of it is that you can come under the pump a little bit and that's part of the territory and part of handling it is also being able to handle the scrutiny that, no doubt, is always gonna come someone's way at some point," he added.