\u201cI think it\u2019s good for Pope to be captain for three Tests, just in case, Ben Stokes does get injured in the future. They need other options. Just like when they go to Australia, and they don\u2019t want a bowling attack that\u2019s inexperienced. You don\u2019t want to get there with someone (leading) who hasn\u2019t done it before,\u201d said Hussain in the latest episode of Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the same time, Hussain thinks Pope has yet to establish himself as a firm leader in the England Test side. \u201cThe feeling with Pope is that it doesn\u2019t come naturally, (whereas) the feeling with Stokes is that cricketing intelligence comes very naturally to him.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt feels like he (Pope) was given the vice-captaincy to get him out of that shell, the no. 3 position as well, we believe in you, which I think was the right thing to do. But the other side of that, when you\u2019re captain. You\u2019ve to sell that belief. Sell yourself to the team, your plans.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Similar views were echoed by former skipper Michael Atherton. \u201cEssentially, you\u2019re in a caretaker position. And Ben Stokes has left such a permanent mark on the side, Ollie Pope wouldn\u2019t want to change that. While you are captain and you make decisions, it\u2019s someone else\u2019s team. It\u2019s a slightly awkward position for him.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Just like Stokes, England will also be without opener Zak Crawley for the series due to a broken finger. Hussain quipped Test head coach Brendon McCullum would employ innovations in selection, instead of going back to players who have been dropped from the side due to form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWith this regime, in selection they don\u2019t want to look back, even with their opening combinations. They really don\u2019t want to go back to (Alex) Lees or (Keaton) Jennings or someone, they\u2019re constantly looking forward.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll just move up one, (Jamie) Smith can bat a bit higher, (Chris) Woakes can bat a bit higher, and maybe Olly Stone can. They\u2019re (looking for) the younger ones, in the Lions game I noticed the lad Kasey Aldridge. I think that\u2019s someone they maybe keeping an eye on the future. The (Shoaib) Bashir selection. They\u2019ll do left-field selections.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Atherton stated someone like Dan Lawrence, who will open in Crawley\u2019s absence, will be primed to bring their positive gameplay to the top-order for the upcoming Test series. \u201cStokes came over and said, \u2018When Crawley\u2019s fit, he\u2019ll come back.\u2019 So they don\u2019t want to overcomplicate it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll just move up one, (Jamie) Smith can bat a bit higher, (Chris) Woakes can bat a bit higher, and maybe Olly Stone can. They\u2019re (looking for) the younger ones, in the Lions game I noticed the lad Kasey Aldridge. I think that\u2019s someone they maybe keeping an eye on the future. The (Shoaib) Bashir selection. They\u2019ll do left-field selections.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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