Cricket: Cricket-Pope masterclass sets benchmark for touring batters in India – Root

HYDERABAD, India (Reuters) – England vice-captain Ollie Pope’s sublime hundred against India in the opening test has set a benchmark for all touring batsmen on how to bat on the country’s spin-friendly tracks, team mate Joe Root said on Saturday.

England conceded a first-innings lead of 190 and risked defeat inside three days, but Pope’s unbeaten 148 helped them finish day three on 316-6.

Pope struck the only hundred so far in the spinner-dominated contest to keep England alive, and his handling of India’s three-pronged spin attack was exemplary for a touring batsman.

“Honestly it’s an absolute masterclass on how to bat in these conditions as an overseas player, someone that’s not exposed to these surfaces day in day out,” Root told reporters afterwards.

“To come back off a serious (shoulder) injury like he had in summer and have that amount of time out of the game and then put together that…I’m speechless.”

England had slumped to 163-5 before Pope combined with Ben Foakes in a century stand to prop up the innings.

The 26-year-old’s deft dealing of Indian spinners particularly stood out during his marathon knock.

Pope frequently played the sweep shots — both traditional and reverse — to negate spin and mess with India’s fielding strategy.

His 17 boundaries included a no-look ramp shot off Ravindra Jadeja that went over the wicketkeeper’s head for a four.

“It’s one of the best knocks that I’ve ever seen,” Root said.

“I’ve seen a lot of cricket, played and batted with a lot of brilliant players, and to witness that today was really special.”

So much so that Root did not mind being told by Pope to address the news conference, the former England captain quipped.

Root, being one of the premier batters of his era, is often considered the benchmark in mastering tough conditions but the 33-year-old said Pope’s latest knock had taken that place.

“I’m not any more. I think that’s the benchmark,” Root said.

“Honestly, I might have scored a few runs in the sub-continent. But not on a surface like that against an attack like that.”

India have not lost a test series on home soil since 2012 and they will still fancy going 1-0 up in the series.

Root said Pope’s knock would give them a lot of confidence in their own ultra-aggressive approach to test cricket.

“We don’t always judge ourselves on results, there are other benchmarks we look at.

“But this is another great step in the right direction in the long-term sense for this group of players.”

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in Hyderabad; Editing by Hugh Lawson)