After the shoulder injury-induced departure of England skipper Ben Stokes from the all-important fifth Test of the Anderson-Tenulkar Trophy against India, the home team appears to show cracks under pressure in the leadership of Ollie Pope against a young Indian team. England, who lead the five-match Test series 2-1 ahead of the Oval Test, require 374 runs in the last innings to seal the series.
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While England would back themselves to chase down the target, having been a successful chasing side in the Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, the prospect of India squaring up the series 2-2 still looms over the home side. And now, the former England captain Michael Vaughan has batted for Harry Brook to lead the side in Stokes’ absence in future.
“Harry Brook, to me, looks a leader. He looks a born leader,” Vaughan told the Test Match Special podcast. Brook has taken over the captaincy of England in the ODIs after Jos Buttler stepped down from his role after a poor show at the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
“If Ben Stokes is injured in the future can’t Pope stay as vice-captain and Harry Brook gets the leadership role? I look at someone like Ollie Pope, who looks a fantastic vice-captain. He is a brilliant person to have next to the captain to come up with ideas. Sometimes vice-captains aren’t brilliant captains,” added Vaughan.
Vaughan is considered to be one of the finest brains to have led the English side. England have won 26 of 51 Tests under Vaughan’s captaincy between 2003 and 2008, and he has led England to the famous 2005 Ashes win. Vaughan has been a staunch supporter of grooming Brook as future England captain.
“Marcus Trescothick was a magnificent vice-captain for me but you wouldn’t want to give him the captaincy.”
England are 50/1 and need 324 more runs to win the Test. England are also one batter short after Chris Woakes was ruled out of the remainder of the match as he injured his shoulder while fielding in the first innings.
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“It is not Ollie Pope’s fault England are in this position. It is the dropped catches. There were a couple of times he nipped off the field. It might have been for a comfort break, but it looked like he was going off for tactical advice. I don’t know well enough and am not in the dressing room. I just want the best captain who is the best leader leading the England side. I don’t think a good vice-captain will necessarily be a good captain,” said Vaughan.
Pope is leading England in a Test for the fifth time.
