Ollie Pope

Ollie Pope was cleaned up by Jasprit Bumrah in Vishakhapatnam in 2024. (File) Jasprit Bumrah is more than just a unique run-up — he’s deceptive, intelligent, and metronomically accurate. He not only delivers a lethal bouncer but also possesses a devastating yorker.Ollie Pope experienced the full force of Bumrah’s brilliance during the Visakhapatnam Test last year. A photo from that moment — with Pope off balance, desperately trying to jam down on the delivery, and just one stump left standing — perfectly captured Bumrah’s magic.In an interview with TalkSport Cricket, England’s vice-captain Pope opened up about what it’s like to face Bumrah.“Yeah, it’s a challenge,” he said. “I think I’ve played him in probably three different series now, and you’re constantly trying to find ways to put him under some pressure.”When asked why English batters don’t just look to survive his spell, Pope explained:“I mean, he can bowl 20 overs in a day — that’s a lot. So, the way we talk about cricket is, you want to absorb pressure when needed, and then, if necessary, try to put a guy under a little bit of pressure.”“But that doesn’t mean trying to smash him to the boundary. It could just be rotating strike. If he’s bowling a good spell, I’m thinking, ‘Right, how can I get off strike?’ And my partner’s thinking the same — so he doesn’t get six balls at you in a row and use all his skills. He’s a highly skilled bowler, one of the best in the world, if not the best.”“There’s no hiding behind that. But I’m sure everyone has different methods to try and nullify his main threats, and figure out their scoring areas. It’s really about keeping it as simple as possible.”Former England pacer Stuart Broad also admitted on a podcast with Jos Buttler that the series outcome could hinge on Bumrah’s fitness — and that England would prefer if he didn’t play all five Tests.For now, Bumrah has said he’s targeting three Tests, but that decision may change based on workload management.The first Test of the five-match series begins on June 20 in Leeds.