Ben Duckett hails Ollie Pope's century heroics under pressure after ignoring 'outside noise' over his England place

Daily Mail​

21-06-2025

Ben Duckett praised Ollie Pope's ability to ignore the 'outside noise' about his place in the team and respond with a superb century on the second day of the first Test against India at Headingley.
Pope's unbeaten 100 averted a top-order crisis after Zak Crawley was removed by Jasprit Bumrah in the first over of England's reply to India's 471, with Duckett admitting he got goosebumps when his team-mate brought up his ninth Test hundred.
'He couldn't have walked out in tougher conditions, with Bumrah running down the hill with the lights on,' said Duckett, who helped Pope add 122 for the second wicket before Bumrah bowled him for 62.
'You could see what the hundred meant to him. It meant a lot to us all as well.
'He's such a big part of this team. We're very good at keeping things in the dressing-room, but you can hear the noise outside it. He can't start the summer any better, scoring 171 against Zimbabwe and 100 not out in the conditions here.'
Duckett also outlined the challenge in facing Bumrah, the world's No 1 bowler, who took all three of England's wickets, and was denied the late scalp of Harry Brook only because of a no-ball.
'With Jasprit, it's how unique his run-up is,' he said. 'You're waiting and waiting for him to get there.
'Also, his ability to bowl three or four different balls with no cue: you don't know what he's bowling until it comes out of his hand. He's got such a fast wrist, so you've got to watch the ball so closely. It's very difficult to pick it up.
'But you can't let someone like him just bowl. You've got to still put him under pressure, and put the bad balls away.'