Ollie Pope believes the thought England “weren’t fussed” throughout their woeful Ashes tour of Australia was unfair on the squad however understands why the “misperception” grew to become lodged within the minds of many followers and pundits.
Ben Stokes’ vacationers went all the way down to a 4-1 sequence loss to Australia over 5 Checks in 2025/26, with the troubled marketing campaign nonetheless the topic of an England and Wales Cricket Board evaluate.
Along with their poor on-field efficiency, considerations concerning the tradition of the England squad emerged throughout a break in Noosa, an Australian resort, the place there have been experiences of extreme consuming by gamers.
This was adopted by revelations that vice-captain Harry Brook had an altercation with a nightclub bouncer on the pre-Ashes go to to New Zealand.
Pope, nevertheless, insists England’s have been absolutely centered on regaining the Ashes and might need been extra profitable had they cemented an encouraging begin to the primary Check in Perth.
“Going into that sequence, there was numerous speak concerning the preparation of it,” Pope advised reporters on Tuesday. “As a crew, the misunderstanding is likely to be that we weren’t as fussed because it got here throughout.”
The 28-year-old, talking at county facet Surrey’s media day, added: “The robust factor for everybody in that first recreation (Check) was the character of it. Had we received that, and we would executed barely higher on day two, the thought is completely different.
After all we wish to be a popular crew, on and off the pitch, and sadly our efficiency didn’t permit that to occur in Australia.
‘Take the strain off’
“I can perceive why folks felt that means, however on the identical time the notion that we weren’t fussed was in all probability the exhausting factor. All we needed to do was go and win the Ashes…All anybody needed to do was to win.
“And for us at occasions it was simply attempting to, in our minds, take the strain off the precise Check match.”
Even earlier than the journey began, questions have been raised a few lack of preparation in Australian situations, which consisted of a three-day match towards the second-string England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth.
“As we have executed over the earlier years, we tried to deal with it like a traditional sequence to get one of the best out of ourselves,” mentioned Pope. “Sadly, it did not fairly go to plan.”
He added: “I do know what I should be as prepared as I might be. From a private level, I felt as prepared as I might have been for that first Check.”
Pope was dropped after the third Check after averaging solely 20.83 runs throughout the primary three video games, with alternative Jacob Bethell occurring to attain a century within the fifth Check at Sydney.
However Pope insisted he was decided to regain his England place, saying: “I nonetheless really feel like my greatest batting years are to return.”
The Surrey batsman was talking after the England and Wales Cricket Board went again on a plan to cease its Ashes gamers chatting with the media forward of the brand new county season whereas it conducts its evaluate.
