Ollie Pope Named England Test Captain for Sri Lanka Series

Nasser Hussain has expressed support for Ollie Pope's appointment as England Test captain for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, starting August 21, while Ben Stokes recovers from a torn hamstring. Hussain believes this experience is vital as England prepares for the Ashes in Australia next year, stating, 'You don’t want to get there with someone [leading] who hasn’t done it before.' However, he noted that Pope has yet to establish himself as a natural leader, contrasting him with Stokes, whose cricketing intelligence comes more instinctively. Michael Atherton echoed these sentiments, describing Pope's role as 'caretaker' and highlighting the challenges he faces in stepping into Stokes' significant legacy. Hussain also mentioned that head coach Brendon McCullum is likely to adopt innovative selection strategies, avoiding a return to previously dropped players. England will additionally miss opener Zak Crawley due to injury, complicating their lineup ahead of the series.