Ollie Pope Ready to Lead England, but Ben Stokes' Influence Remains Strong

As England gears up for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday, Ollie Pope is set to step into the captaincy role, becoming the 82nd Test captain for England. This comes after regular captain Ben Stokes was sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

Despite taking charge, Pope emphasizes that the team’s dynamics and leadership will remain deeply influenced by Stokes. "He leads us and he’s still in the changing room," Pope told BBC Sport. "It’s great to have him around. None of the messages are going to be different; we’re not going to play any differently. I’ll just be getting similar messages across, in my own way."

The England Test captaincy is a role that changes infrequently. Since 2009, only four men have taken up the position, highlighting the stability within the team. The rarity of stand-ins is also notable, with only one instance in England’s past 177 Tests where the regular captain was absent. That occurred in 2020 when Joe Root missed a match for the birth of his second child.

Pope’s leadership will be tested, but with Stokes remaining closely involved with the squad, the transition is expected to be smooth, maintaining the continuity and strength of the team.