If the pitches spin from ball one, we won’t be complaining: Ollie Pope

The discussions and mind games regarding the sub-continent pitches have already begun ahead of England’s five-match Test series against India. Recently, the Newlands pitch in Cape Town created quite a buzz as a lot of former cricketers called it out after the match ended in less than five sessions. Following this, skipper Rohit Sharma voiced that they had no problem playing on an uneven surface but expect other teams to remain shut when they play in spin-friendly conditions in India.

Keeping that in mind, England batter Ollie Pope stated that the visiting team won’t be complaining if the ball starts from day 1 in India. The 26-year-old added that the surface will remain the same for both teams as the visitors will focus on adapting quickly.

“There will be a lot of outside noise. And pitches can be a massive talking point. But you have to remember the two teams are playing on the exact same wicket, so we just need to be as well-equipped as we can. In England, we might leave more grass on the pitch to suit our amazing seamers, so it’s no surprise if India do the same to suit their spinners. And I actually think low-scoring Test matches are pretty amazing to watch,” Pope said while talking to the Guardian.

“I saw a fair bit of South Africa versus India, and it was great: guys scoring seriously tough runs, and the ball flying through. The scores could be similar in India, but if the pitches spin from ball one, we won’t be complaining. It’s about finding a method to combat it,” he added.

Notably, England is slated to reach India on January 22, three days before the first Test in Hyderabad. They will be training for a few days in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before coming to India. The hosts meanwhile are currently involved in a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. They will begin their training after the final T20I, which will be played on January 17 in Bengaluru.