England’s Olli Pope has acknowledged Jasprit Bumrah’s threat head-on, stating, “There’s no hiding behind that,” as he prepares to bat at No.3 in the upcoming India vs England Test series. His numbers against the Indian quick are telling: in nine Tests, Pope has faced 186 deliveries from Bumrah, scoring 86 runs and falling to him five times. A staggering 140 of those deliveries were dot balls, revealing just how effectively Bumrah has pinned him down. This time, Pope wants to shift the script. He plans to rotate the strike more consistently to prevent Bumrah from building pressure with a full over at one batter. Speaking in an interview with TalkSport, Pope said, “If he’s bowling a good spell, I’m thinking, ‘Right, how can I rotate and get to the other end?’ And my partner’s thinking the same, so he doesn’t get six balls at you in a row and use all his skills.” Pope is also working on his technical adjustments. While speaking to The Times, “Maybe getting my trigger in a bit earlier just to give myself a bit more time. With his action and where he releases it from, it doesn’t necessarily clock the high speeds that some of the guys clock, but it certainly feels like it’s that bit quicker. With the skills he’s got as well, it’s being aware of that.” Read also: Karun Nair Hit in Nets by Prasidh Krishna, Injury Not Serious England confirm Pope at No.3 as Bumrah looms large England have settled the No.3 slot ahead of the series opener, with Pope edging out Jacob Bethell for the spot. Former skipper Alastair Cook had earlier raised doubts about Pope’s consistency, especially early in his innings. In his column with The Times "My concern about Pope is how often he gets out inside his first 20 balls — it’s happened 36 times in fewer than 100 Test innings.” However, he also acknowledged Pope’s ability to go big once set, something Bethell has not proven at professional level. Cook believes Pope earned his place after his innings against Zimbabwe while Bethell was away at the IPL. He added, “If Pope doesn’t play, it would send a strange message as well as disrupt the side.” The England camp has now thrown its weight behind Pope, but with Bumrah waiting, the challenge is crystal clear.