NOTTINGHAM:
England coach Brendon McCullum has left open the potential for Harry Brook changing Ollie Pope as vice-captain throughout the upcoming Ashes tour of Australia.
Pope formally took on the function in Could 2023 after securing his place as England’s quantity three in Check cricket, and has since led the group 5 instances when inspirational skipper Ben Stokes has been absent by means of damage.
Stokes is again coaching following a shoulder drawback however his coach at county aspect Durham, Ryan Campbell, was “not one hundred pc positive” the all-rounder would function in all 5 Checks in opposition to Australia, with England bidding for his or her first Ashes sequence win since 2015.
Doubts have been raised about Pope’s tactical acumen, with England white-ball captain Brook considered a extra proactive chief within the discipline.
And may Stokes be dominated out of a Check throughout the Ashes sequence, which begins on November 21 in Perth, the 26-year-old Brook might now be requested to steer England in red-ball cricket as nicely.
McCullum, requested Sunday whether or not Pope will take up his traditional function as Stokes’ deputy in Australia, replied: “We are going to work on that one. We are going to chat about that over the approaching days as we finalise our Ashes squad.”
“I feel it is a fairly straightforward squad to choose. We do not want too huge a squad however we have now a really settled group of batters, a cartel of quick bowlers and Shoaib Bashir as our frontline spinner.”
The previous New Zealand captain, talking after England’s third and deciding T20 in opposition to South Africa in Nottingham was washed out with out a ball being bowled, added: “I feel it is no secret Harry Brook is rising as a pacesetter inside English cricket, in order that’s one thing we have to work out.”
