England batter Ollie Pope has offered an interesting take on the current state of sledging in cricket. He said that things are not as intense as they used to be. Speaking after England’s dramatic win over India in the third Test at Lord’s, Pope reflected on how franchise cricket has brought players closer, making verbal battles less common on the field.
The five-match series between England and India has been full of tense moments and the Lord’s Test was no different. Both teams pushed each other to the limit. England eventually sealed the game by 22 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The contest saw its share of heated exchanges. Mohammed Siraj gave Ben Duckett an aggressive send-off after dismissing him on Day 3. Siraj was later fined for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. There were also episodes of aggression with Zak Crawley and Shubman Gill, and Brydon Carse and Ravindra Jadeja. These moments added fuel to the high-stakes contest but according to Ollie Pope, sledging is no longer a major part of the game.
"Not as Common Anymore" - Ollie Pope on Sledging
In a light-hearted segment on Sky Sports Cricket, Pope opened up on the topic of sledging when asked whether he’s someone who engages in it. The 27-year-old shared that he is not a "massive sledger". He pointed out that the rise of franchise leagues across the world has allowed players from different countries to share dressing rooms, making on-field aggression more measured.
"Not really. I am not a massive sledger. There's less and less of it in the game I think at the minute with franchise cricket. You get to know the opposition well. It's not as much as probably ten years ago," Pope said as quoted on Sky Sports Cricket.
He also touched upon the team culture inside the England dressing room when asked about fine systems, something commonly used in football and rugby to ensure discipline. Pope revealed that things are quite laid-back in the current England team.
"We don't really have a fine system. We're pretty relaxed. We're pretty chill. There's some guys sort of ruck up in flip flops, other days you're just in your polo looking a bit smart. But as long as the sponsors are on there, keeps them happy, then there's no real fines to be had,” he added.
Lord’s Defeat Leaves India Under Pressure
India were chasing 193 runs but were all out for 170. They resumed the final day at 58/4 but lost early wickets which gave England the upper hand.
Jadeja tried to take the game deep but could not finish the chase and was left stranded at 61*. India lost by 22 runs and now trail 2-1 in the series.
The fourth Test will be played at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23. India need a win or a draw to stay alive in the series.
