The Japan Times - Dropping Pope for India Test would have been 'remarkable', says England's Stokes

There were suggestions vice-captain Pope and rising star Jacob Bethell were vying for the same batting spot in the first game of a five-Test series at Headingley, starting on Friday.

Bethell impressed on England's New Zealand tour in November and December before Pope underlined his credentials with a mammoth century during an innings victory against Zimbabwe last month.

Bethell missed that match, opting instead to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.

Stokes, a loyal supporter of 27-year-old Pope, was emphatic in his backing of the batsman at a press conference on the eve of the match.

"The 'big selection' (idea) did not come from us," he said. "It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was a 170, and that's pretty much all I need to say on that.

"Scoring 170 definitely doesn't do anyone any harm, but having him at number three since I've been captain over a three-year period, averaging over 40, it speaks for itself."

Bethell, 21, has enormous talent and has impressed in all three international formats, though he is yet to score a century in professional cricket.

The debate over how he fits into the Test side will continue to rage but Stokes believes Pope has the maturity to block out the noise.

"In this day and age it's very tough not to see all that speculation, just because of how easily accessible things are," said the captain. "You don't even have to go and hunt for it.

"But I think scoring 170 in his last Test match has sort of shown how well he's handled that extra scrutiny."

The match at Headingley signals the start of a new World Test Championship cycle, just days after South Africa defeated Australia in a memorable final at Lord's.

Stokes has been a longtime critic of the WTC's format, labelling it "utterly confusing", and England will once again play the most Tests over the next two years.

Five-match series against India and Australia threaten to make England's bid to qualify for the 2027 showpiece harder, but Stokes believes he is better off concentrating on the task in front of him.

"If we win enough games of cricket, then we'll find ourselves there at the final at the World Test Championship," said the all-rounder.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the winners of the upcoming series would receive the new Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, named in honour of England's record wicket-taker and India's top run-scorer.

"It's a proud moment for me and my family to have this iconic series named after Sachin and myself," said James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket last year.

"The rivalry between our two nations has always been something special, full of history, intensity and unforgettable moments."

H.Takahashi--JT