Ollie Pope, the England vice-captain, is formulating a strategy to overcome his struggles against Jasprit Bumrah, India's pace spearhead, ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series. Pope has often been labelled as Bumrah's "bunny," having been dismissed by him five times in Test cricket, managing just 86 runs from 186 balls across 9 Tests.
Acknowledging Bumrah's skill and relentless pressure, Pope is looking to rotate the strike and disrupt Bumrah's rhythm. The goal is to avoid facing consecutive deliveries from Bumrah, thereby preventing him from utilizing his full range of skills. In an interview with TalkSport Cricket, Pope emphasized the importance of absorbing pressure when needed and then finding ways to apply pressure back on the bowler. This doesn't necessarily mean aggressively attacking Bumrah but rather rotating the strike to prevent him from settling into a prolonged spell.
Pope is also considering technical adjustments to his game. Speaking to The Times, he revealed that he might quicken his trigger movement to afford himself more time to react to Bumrah's deliveries. He noted that Bumrah's deceptive action and release point make him seem faster than he actually is.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad weighed in on the upcoming series, suggesting that Bumrah's fitness would be critical to India's chances. Broad hinted that England would prefer if Bumrah didn't play all five Tests, acknowledging the significant impact he can have on the game.
Brad Hogg, the former Australian cricketer, has even suggested that India should strategically use Bumrah, potentially resting him for the first Test to create a psychological advantage. Hogg believes that England might feel relieved by Bumrah's absence in the first Test, only to be caught off guard when he returns in the subsequent matches.
However, Bumrah's workload management is a key concern for the Indian team management. Given his history of back injuries, it is unlikely that he will play all five Tests. Some analysts, including Shane Bond, have cautioned against overburdening Bumrah, suggesting that another injury could be career-ending. Ravi Shastri has recommended a rotation policy, where Bumrah plays two Tests at a time and takes breaks as needed.
England has already announced their playing XI for the first Test at Headingley, with Chris Woakes returning to the team and Brydon Carse set to make his home debut. The batting lineup will be led by Joe Root, followed by Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes.
As the Test series approaches, all eyes will be on how Ollie Pope executes his game plan against Jasprit Bumrah. His success, or lack thereof, could significantly influence the outcome of the series.
