New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Former England Test captain Sir Alastair Cook has weighed in on the ongoing debate over England’s number three slot ahead of their much-anticipated five-Test series against India, backing Ollie Pope to get the nod over rising star Jacob Bethell.

Pope, who also serves as England’s vice-captain, sent a timely reminder of his pedigree with a commanding 171 in the recent one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. With the series against India fast approaching, Cook believes that Pope’s experience and recent form should give him the edge when England names their playing XI for the opening Test at Headingley on June 20.

“Ollie Pope’s 170 meant a lot to me,” Cook said during an appearance on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show, where he was joined by fellow ex-captains Michael Vaughan and David “Bumble” Lloyd, along with former spinner Phil “Tuffers” Tufnell. “He and Zak Crawley were under the pump and they delivered.”

The number three position has been the subject of considerable speculation, with Bethell also in contention. The 21-year-old Warwickshire batter has made an impressive start to his Test career, averaging 52.00 from six innings, including a standout 92 against New Zealand in December. However, Bethell missed the Zimbabwe Test, a decision Cook feels may have cost him.

“When I left New Zealand I thought they’ll go with Jacob Bethell,” Cook admitted. “But if he isn’t leaving the IPL to come and play a Test match, for whatever reason that is, it’s not a punishment, but that’s the way the cards have fallen — whether it’s Bethell’s fault or not. If he’s that desperate to play, I would have said he would have come out and played, then he’d have guaranteed his England selection. I don’t care what’s going on behind the scenes on that.”

Despite his admiration for Bethell’s talent, Cook questioned the youngster’s readiness, citing inconsistent domestic form and moments of struggle at Warwickshire.

“Lots of judges of players have said that Bethell is really good, but at Warwickshire he struggled like a year ago,” Cook said. “He struggled and was batting six behind Sam Hain, Alex Davies and guys that were picked ahead of him all the time.”

Pope, meanwhile, has built a solid Test resume, having featured in 56 matches for England with a batting average of 35.49. He has scored eight hundreds and 15 half-centuries, and remains one of the key pillars of England’s middle order. But Cook did raise concerns over a familiar vulnerability in Pope’s game — his early innings.

“The issue I’ve always said about Pope, and I don’t think this changes, is his first 20 balls,” Cook remarked with a laugh. “Tuffers is more likely to get through his first 20 balls.”

Looking beyond the India series, Cook also addressed the long-term picture and England’s plans for the Ashes tour this winter, saying the upcoming matches could be critical in shaping the squad for the challenge in Australia.

“Will Pope play at number three in Perth? He’s in possession at the minute,” Cook said. “And we’ll find out if he’s good enough against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah.”

With both Pope and Bethell named in England’s 14-man squad for the India opener, the final call rests with head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes.

–IANS

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