Few have performed the reverse sweep with as much authority and frequency as Ollie Pope did in front of 30,000 rapt fans in Hyderabad.
| At Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Day 3 of the first Test match between England and India, Ollie Pope of England celebrates his century. |
About three and a half years ago, Ollie Pope had just finished recording his second-highest Test score at the time, a stylish 91, when he received an enormous compliment from an unexpected person. Sachin Tendulkar tweeted that Pope appeared to have "modeled his batting on Ian Bell" after seeing the knock-on television. "It appears that his posture and gait are exactly the same," the Indian master added.
On Saturday, in the midst of England's opening Test match against India in Hyderabad, Tendulkar was shown a different side of Pope. The 26-year-old is known for being a finicky starter and has faced challenges from R Ashwin in the past, but he displayed complete mastery at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium without displaying any signs of uncertainty or indecision.
Highlights of the Third Test between India and England
This kind of masterclass is difficult to duplicate. Conventional methods such as flashy cover-drives, crunchy back-cuts, wristy whips, and meaty pulls were not the foundation of this move. It wasn't built with placement and timing in mind. Rather, it employed the reverse sweep as its cornerstone, a tool that rendered India's formidable three-pronged spin attack ineffective.
Responding to the critics and reversing the situation
Pope's track record when it comes to India is not great. He had only reached 50 once in 16 innings prior to this incredible undefeated 148; his next best was 34. In the opening innings, he was clobbered at first slip by Ravindra Jadeja. In the past, Ashwin has tangled him up, taking advantage of his erratic footwork, which is characterized by several movements that don't always put him in the best positions. The experts in the commentary box and beyond had every right to be dubious about what was to come.
