Day 2 of the 1st Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Headingley, Leeds, on June 21, 2025, saw India tighten their grip, getting all out for 471/10 after starting the day at 359/3 and dismissing England at 209/3 in 49 overs at stumps. With a dominating 262-run advantage, India's Shubman Gill (147) and Rishabh Pant (134) were the stars of the show, and England's Ollie Pope (100*) and Ben Duckett (62) offered resistance. Jasprit Bumrah's 3/48 and Josh Tongue's 4/86 were pivotal, setting up a thrilling Day 3 as India pushes for victory, with play resuming later today.

India 1st Innings: 471/10 in 113 Overs

India resumed at 359/3 and compiled 112 runs, all out at 471/10 in 113 overs. Shubman Gill (147 off 227, 19 fours, 1 six) was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir, and Rishabh Pant (134 off 178, 12 fours, 6 sixes) by Josh Tongue, both agonizingly short of a double hundred on Day 2. Ravindra Jadeja (11 off 15) and Mohammed Siraj (3* off 7) contributed later on, but the lower order collapsed. England's bowlers came back strongly, Tongue (4/86 in 20 overs) claiming four wickets, including Pant and Shardul Thakur (1 off 8), and Ben Stokes (4/66 in 20 overs) sending Gill, Karun Nair (0 off 4), and Jasprit Bumrah (0 off 5) back to the pavilion. Brydon Carse (1/96 off 22 overs) sent Jadeja packing, while Shoaib Bashir (1/100 off 27 overs) sent back Gill. Extras (31, including 1b, 14lb, 2w, 9nb, and 5p) boosted India’s total, with their dismissal ending a dominant batting display.

England 1st Innings: 209/3 in 49 Overs

England's response began with a shaky start, losing Zak Crawley (4 off 6, caught Karun Nair off Jasprit Bumrah) early, then Ben Duckett (62 off 94, 9 fours) was bowled by Bumrah, leaving them at 126/2 at tea. Ollie Pope (100* off 131, 13 fours) and Joe Root (28 off 58, 2 fours) then added 80 runs for the third wicket, but Root fell late in the day to a catch by Karun Nair off Bumrah. Harry Brook (0* off 12) replaced Pope, and England reached 209/3. India's bowlers, headed by Bumrah (3/48 in 13 overs), took advantage of initial movement, while Mohammed Siraj (0/50 in 14 overs), Prasidh Krishna (0/56 in 10 overs), and others kept the pressure on. England trailed by 262 runs, with Pope’s unbeaten century and Brook’s presence offering hope.

ENG vs IND, 1st Test Day 2: Key Moments

• Gill and Pant's Massive Scores: Shubman Gill's 147 and Rishabh Pant's 134 took India beyond 400, with Pant's sixes and Gill's cover drives ruling until both were dismissed.
  
• Tongue's Breakthrough Spell: Josh Tongue's 4/86, with the wicket of Pant, provided England with a late boost, his career-best Test figures.
  
• Pope's Fighting Hundred: Ollie Pope's undefeated 100, his fourth at Headingley, kept England in the game despite early losses to Bumrah.
  
• Bumrah's Triple Strike: Jasprit Bumrah's 3/48, getting rid of Crawley, Duckett, and Root, set England back on their heels, reasserting his match-winning influence.

See Also: WATCH: Rishabh Pant does his famous backflip celebration after century in 1st Test vs England

ENG vs IND, 1st Test Day 2: Match Scorecard

India 1st Innings – 471/10 (113 Overs)

England 1st Innings – 209/3 (49 Overs)

England have announced their playing XI for the first Test against India, which begins on Friday, June 20, at Headingley in Leeds. This marks the start of a five-match series that kicks off the new World Test Championship cycle (2025–27) and also the first-ever edition of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy.

There’s good news for England fans as experienced all-rounder Chris Woakes returns to the Test team after missing out since December. Brydon Carse, the fast bowler from Durham, is also in the XI and will play his first home Test after earlier appearances in Pakistan and New Zealand.

One of the biggest talking points is the selection of Ollie Pope at No. 3. There was strong competition from young Jacob Bethell, who had done well in New Zealand and recently impressed in the white-ball series against West Indies. But Pope kept his place, especially after scoring 171 in the Zimbabwe Test a match Bethell skipped to play in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. While Pope's numbers against India and in Ashes games haven’t been great, England captain Ben Stokes backed him completely and said there was no favouritism involved.

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England made two changes from the side that beat Zimbabwe Woakes replaces the injured Gus Atkinson, and Carse comes in for Sam Cook. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith keeps his spot and will be key in the middle order.

England announces playing XI for the first Test against Team India!#INDvsENG #ENGvsIND #TeamIndia #England #AndersonTendulkarTrophy #BenStokes pic.twitter.com/AQJThQMsxt

— XtraTime (@xtratimeindia) June 18, 2025

With Ben Stokes leading a strong team, England will be aiming to get off to a solid start. India, under new captain Shubman Gill, are also eyeing history they haven’t won a Test series in England for 18 years. Both sides are going through changes, which makes this match a perfect stage for new heroes to rise. One big name missing from England’s XI is RCB’s rising star Jacob Bethell, who’ll have to wait a little longer for his Test debut.

Team India is set to start its campaign for the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle against England from the 20th of June at Headingley under the captaincy of a new captain, Shubman Gill. Team India consists of some new faces who are unfamiliar with the English conditions that will challenge them. Head coach Gautam Gambhir faces a challenging task, as it is always difficult to beat England on their home ground. Team India last won a test series in England under the captaincy of former India skipper and coach Rahul Dravid in 2007. The current team can take motivation from that team. The current Indian team consists of some talented players who are capable of beating the Three Lions if they play to their capabilities.

England right-hander Ollie Pope stated that star India player and former India skipper Virat Kohli's absence from the team will be a big factor. Kohli recently announced his retirement from test cricket, which shocked everyone. Pope said Kohli's absence would be felt. Although he said that the current Indian set-up possesses some talented cricketers who could be the future stars. Both teams will feel the pressure, and hopefully, it could mould test cricket in a big way.

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It's a young team, but these Indian players have so much depth and talent. So they've got a lot of young guys coming through; a lot of good players. Shubman Gill, their new captain, is a fantastic player. They will miss the aura of Virat Kohli standing at slips and chirping away. But they have got some good talent, so they will feel confident. But our players are ready for it," Ollie Pope said, speaking to India Today.

It's the perfect time to play India: Ollie Pope

Pope mentioned that while Sri Lanka and the West Indies had toured England last summer, India’s current tour presented a more significant challenge due to the quality of the Indian team. He said this would help the England team focus better and described it as the perfect time to play against India. He also expressed that the upcoming Ashes series would be an exciting prospect.

"Last summer, Sri Lanka and the West Indies had toured England, but with India touring England this time around, and the quality Team India possesses, it would help the England team focus on this challenge. It's the perfect time to play India, and once the Ashes series arrives, it will be exciting," Pope added further.

On 12 May 2025, Virat Kohli officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, just ahead of India’s tour of England. The timing surprised many, as Kohli had enjoyed considerable success in England previously. His decision also raised eyebrows because he was merely 770 runs away from reaching the remarkable milestone of 10,000 Test runs. Fans and experts alike were left speculating about the reasons behind his exit from the longest format, especially given his form and fitness.

Pakistan cricketer Aamer Jamal took a stunner to provide a perfect start for the hosts Pakistan during England’s first innings of the Test series opener. 

Pakistan are busy to host the three-match Test series against England, which is a part of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. Multan is hosting the Test series opener from Monday (October 7).

After choosing the bat first, Pakistan batters dominated in the first innings. Thanks to three centuries, opener Abdullah Shafique (102), captain Shan Masood (151), and the no. 8 batter Salman Agha (104*), the hosts scored 556 runs before losing their last wicket.

Watch: Richa Ghosh takes stunning catch to dismiss Pakistan captain

Incredible Aamer Jamal took a one-handed catch

Due to an on-field injury, opener Ben Duckett didn’t come to bat on the second day. Captain Ollie Pope took the opening batting role along with the opener Zak Crawley. However, it didn’t work well as Pope was dismissed very early, thanks to a blinder catch by Aamer Jamal.

Naseem Shah started his spell during the second over of England’s first innings. On his second ball of the match, Shah delivered a shorter ball, which Pope attacked. However, at the mid-off, the 28-year-old all-rounder Aamer Jamal took a brilliant catch by timely stretching his right hand to successfully grab the ball.

Naseem Shah strikes with a perfect start exactly what Pakistan needed at this moment. Aamir Jamal stunning catch is nothing short of sensational. Truly brilliant fielding 🏏🙌

#PAKvsENG #PAKvENG

pic.twitter.com/ybIOylKO3D

— 𝔸𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕪❁ (@wordsbyher_) October 8, 2024

England trailing by 460 runs

It was a perfect start for Pakistan as Pope scored a duck and England were battling at 4/1. However, that dismissal was the only joyful moment for the hosts in England’s innings of the day. Opener Crawley and the former captain Joe Root successfully handled the early situation very well and ended the day at 96/1 in 20 overs. 

The opener Crawley scored run-a-ball 64 not out with 11 fours. Meanwhile, Root was unbeaten at 32 runs off 54 balls with the help of two fours. 

At the stump of the second day, England are trailing by 460 runs. 

Ollie Pope reached his sixth Test century on Day 1 of the second Test at Trent Bridge against the West Indies. Despite not being a fluent knock, it held immense significance for England, especially as Pope had to step in during the very first over following Zak Crawley’s dismissal for a duck.

Pope initially played second fiddle to Ben Duckett during their century partnership for the second wicket. While Duckett sped ahead to score the fastest fifty by an England opener in Test cricket, Pope patiently bided his time. The pair put together a 105-run stand off just 112 balls, with Pope contributing 31 runs off 53 deliveries. There was never any doubt about Pope’s form heading into the Nottingham Test, especially after his brisk 57 in the first Test’s only innings for England.

At Nottingham, Pope adopted a more cautious approach. Between deliveries 31 to 60, he registered a false shot percentage of 33.3%, focusing on absorbing the pressure while scoring just 10 runs, all the while watching Duckett dominate from the other end. This disciplined approach showcased Pope’s adaptability and resilience, crucial for England’s innings.

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In-depth Analysis of Ollie Pope’s Ton on Day 1

Ollie Pope’s innings was marked by some luck as he was dropped twice around the lunch break. On the penultimate ball of the first session, Alick Athanaze missed a sharp chance to dismiss Pope for 46. Then, five overs into the second session, Jason Holder failed to grasp a straightforward catch at second slip, giving Pope another life at 54.

With West Indies’ bowlers being inconsistent throughout the day, Pope’s task became easier. After the second reprieve, he capitalized on the loose bowling, scoring 65 off 76 balls with a false shot percentage dropping to just 6.5%. This phase of his innings was characterized by a mix of controlled aggression and careful shot selection.

Pope had walked in with England struggling at 0/1 within the first three balls of the innings. By the time he was dismissed in the final session, he had steered England to a strong position at 281/5, laying a solid foundation for the team. Alzarri Joseph eventually claimed Pope’s wicket with a good length delivery, targeting an area where Pope had shown vulnerability throughout his knock.

The Surrey batter, Ollie Pope, had a lazy waft at a delivery similar to the ones that had produced the earlier chances. This time, he edged it to the wicketkeeper, Joshua Da Silva, who made no mistake. Pope’s tendency to score big in the first innings was evident once again, as five of his six Test centuries have come in the first innings, each against different opponents.

The only exception to this pattern was his remarkable 196, which came in the second innings during England’s win in Hyderabad earlier this year. This innings added to his reputation as a crucial first-innings performer for England, showcasing his ability to lay a strong foundation when it matters the most.

See Also: IND vs ZIM: Player Analysis: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 93 secures T20I series win for India

England opener Ben Duckett made history with the fastest fifty by an England player in Tests. He achieved this remarkable feat in just 32 balls during the 2nd Test against West Indies at Nottingham, showcasing his exceptional skill and talent.

In the 10th over, Jason Holder bowled a good length delivery. Duckett opened the face of his bat and guided it perfectly past the gully fielder for a boundary. This shot marked his 11th boundary of the innings, bringing up his fifty in style.

The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, their cheers echoing throughout the stadium as they celebrated Duckett’s historic achievement.

Duckett eventually got out for 71 runs off 59 balls by Shamar Joseph in the 19th over, with England at 105 for 2. He lost his opening partner, Zak Crawley in the first over when Alzarri Joseph bowled him out for a duck after the West Indies chose to bowl first in Nottingham.

Fastest team fifties in Test cricket by overs

4.2 overs – England vs West Indies (today)

4.3 overs – England vs South Africa in 1994

4.6 overs – England vs Sri Lanka in 2002

5.2 Overs – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan in 2004

Fastest Test fifties for England by balls

28 – Ian Botham vs India, 1981

30 – Jonny Bairstow vs New Zealand, 2022

32 – Ben Duckett vs West Indies, 2024

32 – Ian Botham vs New Zealand, 1986

Former India player Pragyan Ojha has praised Ollie Pope’s century during England’s second innings on Day 3 (Saturday, January 27) of the ongoing first Test in Hyderabad as well. He referred to Pope’s hundred as one of the best by an England player on Indian soil. He also lauded the batter for his grit and determination as England extended their lead to 126 and counting. He cited the example of Kevin Pietersen’s century in Mumbai as well. Ojha said as Pope stayed unbeaten on 148 off 208 balls, with 17 boundaries.

He told Cricbuzz: “One of the great knocks by an Englishman in India. I had witnessed it in 2012 when Kevin Pietersen had smashed a century in Mumbai. He had played a big innings and took the match away from India’s grip. Today, they are placed in a similar scenario [like 2012].”

He again shared, “If Ollie Pope plays a session tomorrow, the way he is playing comfortably. Rehan Ahmed is also playing in a way that he’s not trying to find himself. So, anything can happen. I want to say one thing about Ollie Pope. Always, when something new happens, then every time one wrong-headed person shows their willpower and then re-write history), he’s batted that way. It was not easy. He showed his discipline and grit. Playing at 148 not out, it’s a big thing. The way he single-handedly ran the game, a 126-run lead is too big. If they go a little ahead, then the Indian unit will have to think about it.”

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It is also noteworthy that, Kevin Pietersen had played a similar knock during England’s tour of India in 2012-13, when they last won the Test series in India (2-1) as well. However, Pietersen had smashed 186 runs off 233 deliveries, including four sixes and 20 boundaries, during the first innings of the second Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai where England registered a convincing win by 10 wickets as well.

“England were looking for a fightback and now they’ve got that. The way Ben Foakes batted with Pope was tremendous. That 112-run partnership, on a normal wicket, would’ve been 200-250. Above all, discipline and control of the mind.”The way the ball was turning and Jasprit Bumrah was in his spell, it was not easy, but the duo showed pride and proved why the England team always evolves in front of any challenge,” Pragyan Ojha concluded.

Pope’s first innings knock of 82 has helped him advance nine slots to 49th position among batters while Thakur’s two half-centuries have lifted him a good 59 places to 79th position in the ICC test ranking. Thakur has also moved up seven places to 49th in the bowlers’ list after finishing with four wickets in the match.

Jasprit Bumrah climbed to No. 9 in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings updated on Wednesday, September 8 after his heroics in India’s win over England in the 4th Test of a 5-match series at Oval in London. Bumrah picked up 4 wickers across 2 innings at Oval to take his tally in the series to 18. He is currently at the 2nd spot for the most wickets taken in the series, 3 behind England pacer Ollie Robinson.

India opener Rohit Sharma remains fifth but his match-winning 127 in the second innings sees him increase the lead over captain Virat Kohli from seven to 30 rating points while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is up from 10th to ninth after finishing with two wickets in each innings of the match.

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Meanwhile, James Anderson has dropped 2 spots to 7th place in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings. On the other hand, Chris Woakes, who picked up 7 wickets on his return to the England Test side, has re-entered the top 10 in ICC All-rounder Rankings. In the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, South Africa opener Janneman Malan has moved up 31 places to 34th after scoring 162 runs in the three-match ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series that Sri Lanka won 2-1.

Rohit achieves career-best test rating points

India’s Oval Test hero, Rohit Sharma has, meanwhile, extended lead over captain Virat Kohli. Rohit, who overtook Kohli last week, has reached career-best rating points of 813, 40 points more than the skipper. Rohit hit his maiden overseas hundred in India’s win at the Oval. He is at the 2nd spot in the batting charts this series with 368 runs from 4 Tests.

Only 2 Indian batsmen are in the top 10 of ICC Test Batting Rankings. Rishabh Pant, who dropped out of the top 10 last week, has slipped a spot to 13th place in the latest rankings. Aiden Markram (up to six places to 69th) and Heinrich Klaasen (up to seven places to 70th) are the others from the team to progress among batters. Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who is the top-ranked bowler in T20Is, has moved up nine places to 28th among bowlers.

Sri Lanka’s Avishka Fernando is up 11 places to 41st while Kariyawasa Asalanka’s series topping 196 runs see him shoot up 122 places to 66th position. Wanindu Hasaranga is up three places to 32nd among bowlers.

R Ashwin drops to No. 5 in all-rounder rankings

Meanwhile, R Ashwin continues to be at the 2nd spot on the ICC Test Bowling Rankings. The off-spinner has not played a single Test so far in the 5-match series in England and is unlikely to play the series decider in Manchester from September 10. The India all-rounder has dropped from 4th to 5th in the ICC All-rounder rankings.

Joe Root continues to lead the ICC Test Batting Rankings with 903 points, only 2 more than New Zealand captain Kane Williamson who reached Dubai earlier this week to join Sunrisers Hyderabad for the remainder of the Indian Premier League, starting September 19. Pat Cummins is well ahead of the chasing pack in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings as the Australia pacer holds the top spot with 908 rating points, 76 more than Ashwin. Jason Holder holds the top in the ICC All-rounder Rankings while Ravindra Jadeja is at the 3rd spot.

In the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, Paul Stirling has gained nine slots to reach 14th place after scoring 234 runs in the five-match series against Zimbabwe, which they won at home. Craig Ervine is another batter to move up the batting rankings, from 128th to 85th. For Bangladesh, spin bowlers Shakib Al Hassan and Mehedi Hasan, who have four wickets each in the first three matches of their ongoing five-match home series against New Zealand, have also progressed. Shakib has gone up from 12th to ninth and Mehedi from 91st to 24th.

ICC Test Batting Rankings (As of September 8, 2021)

1. Joe Root – 903 rating points
2. Kane Williamson – 901
3. Steve Smith – 891
4. Marnus Labuschagne – 878
5. Rohit Sharma – 813
6. Virat Kohli – 783
7. Babar Azam – 749
8. David Warner – 724
9. Quinton de Kock – 717
10. Henry Nicholls – 714

ICC Test Bowling Rankings

1. Pat Cummins – 908
2. R Ashwin – 831
3. Tim Southee – 824
4. Josh Hazlewood – 816
5. Niel Wagner – 810
6. Kagiso Rabada – 798
7. James Anderson – 794
8. Shaheen Afridi – 783
9. Jasprit Bumrah – 771
10. Jason Holder – 766

Ollie Pope was enjoying the home comforts of the Kia Oval, making an unbeaten 74 as England overtook India on day two of the fourth LV= Insurance Test. The Surrey batsman has a longstanding love affair with the ground, where he has scored seven of his 11 first-class centuries, but this was his first visit in England colors.

He came to the crease in the second over of the day, with England in strife at 53 for four after losing nightwatchman Craig Overton and by tea, he had led the side to 227 for seven. The 23-year-old, restored to the side after three games on the sidelines, shared stands of 89 and 71 with Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali to turn a potential collapse into a first-innings lead of 36.

India drew first blood in the morning, Umesh Yadav following his dismissal of Joe Root on the first evening with a double strike. Overton lasted just four balls, slashing impatiently to slip, but Dawid Malan (31) lingered for more than half an hour before finally providing the outside edge that Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah had been hunting.

At 62 for five, things were looking bleak for England, but Pope and Bairstow were working up a fitting response. In the space of just two overs, the floodgates opened with seven boundaries, completely altering the tone of the session. Pope was first to unleash, dispatching Shardul Thakur to the ropes four times in a row. He started with a perfectly balanced on-drive, followed with a whip off the pads and four leg-byes, and concluded his assault with a dominant pull.

Picking up the baton at the other end, Bairstow took three off Mohammed Siraj – a steer to third man, a risky flip that came perilously close to the mid-wicket catcher, and a powerful square cut.

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Ollie Pope shines for England, misses century by 19.

England was the happier side at lunch, with two set batsmen at 139 for five. The pendulum swung again at the start of the afternoon, Bairstow adding just three runs after the restart before Siraj pinned him lbw with a nip-backer. Bairstow, who had earlier been bumped into by pitch invader Daniel Jarvis, appeared to be angry about movement in the crowd and seemed unhappy with the stewards as he remonstrated on the team balcony.

Pope was having a more serene stay, reaching his half-century with a gift of delivery that he flicked off his pads for four. He and Moeen enjoyed an entertaining time together, clearing the remainder of the deficit in pleasing fashion and starting to build the advantage. Ravindra Jadeja stuck to his guns by bowling with unwavering discipline on the second day of the fourth Test at The Oval. The left-arm spinner was duly rewarded with a couple of lower-order wickets as Moeen Ali and Ollie Robinson bit the dust. While Ali searched for a six only to edge a dolly to cover, Robinson went down on his haunches to sweep but had to hear the death rattle. India should be fairly pleased with their synchronized bowling display as the hosts slip to 272/9.

Moeen had a slice of luck on 14 when India missed out on an lbw shout that would surely have gone their way, but he was soon entertaining the crowd with a series of languid drives. Some hits were intercepted by fielders, but several pierced the infield and raced to the ropes. He fell for 35 in the run-up to tea, looking to smash Ravindra Jadeja out of the ground but instead skying a catch to Rohit Sharma at the cover. Pope reached tea with half an eye on a second Test century, with Chris Woakes his latest accomplice.

Ollie Pope says the withdrawal of Ben Stokes for the Test series against India is a reminder of how mentally tough the demands of playing international sport are during a pandemic.

Stokes, England’s Test vice-captain and heartbeat of the team, has taken an indefinite break from cricket to protect his mental wellbeing and rest the left-index finger he fractured playing in the Indian Premier League in April. The all-rounder’s absence is a blow to England’s chances in the five-Test series against India that starts at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

Yet after England players have spent months in numerous biosecure bubbles since the start of the pandemic, the decision by Stokes has been widely applauded as a positive step forward in acknowledging an athlete’s mental health must come before everything else.

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“It’s obviously sad but I think it’s a reminder to everyone,” Pope said. “We as a nation and the world look at Stokesy as a real macho fighter character – and he is. But this shows how mentally straining cricket and sport at the highest level can be and the situation of being in a bubble away from the family does make that tougher. We all support him 100% and would love to get him back as soon as we can but I think mental health is much more important than a game.

A break from India vs England will make him even better for T20 World Cup: Ollie Pope

“Of course, we’re well behind him with that decision and I wish him to be the best he can be as soon as he can. Of course, it’s a blow. No matter who you’re playing, Stokesy is one of the best, if not the best, all-rounder in the world so you’re always going to miss him. But we’ve got guys who can come in and I’m sure they’ll step up.”

England’s managed team environment – the word “bubble” has now been outlawed by management – is now less restrictive than it was last summer and during the winter in Sri Lanka and India, where the players were largely confined to their hotels.

Yet it is still tough, mainly because of the Covid outbreak in the camp last month that forced England to name an entirely new squad – led by Stokes – for the one-day series against Pakistan.

For the first Test in Nottingham this week, players are allowed to leave the team hotel during their spare time only to exercise, play golf or pick up takeaway food and drink from a designated coffee shop in the city. Anything else, including going out for meals, is not allowed.

“It’s tough,” Pope said. “I think we’re finding ways of dealing with it better. I think in India and back at home last summer it was incredibly strict and I spent too much time in my bedroom just watching Netflix and playing Xbox. We’re finding ways of trying to make the whole experience a little bit more enjoyable and that will hopefully help us on the pitch as well.”

The prospect of even tougher restrictions in Australia this winter, including the possibility that players’ families will not be allowed to travel because of the country’s strict entry requirements and Covid regulations, has raised the fear that some leading players may opt-out of the Ashes, especially as England have the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and white-ball tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan immediately beforehand.

“Cricket Australia and the ECB are still trying to come to an agreement,” Pope said. “The guys with families and kids, you break it down and look at it, and if that did happen no families allowed in Australia then they wouldn’t probably see them for half a year just like that. And that’s putting aside all the other series as well. Everyone has got their own decision to make but no specific agreement has been made between the two boards yet so we’re still waiting to hear on that.”

As for Pope’s own prospects of playing this week after working his way back from a grade-three tear in his thigh, the 23-year-old said: “I’m hopeful but it’s up to physios and management. I’m feeling it a little bit but nothing major. It’s just trying to make sure if I did play this one there’s not going to be issued for the next four Tests if selected.”