IND vs ENG: 'He knows what he needs to do' - McCullum backs under-fire Pope ahead of Dharamsala Test

England coach Brendon McCullum has backed under-fire vice-captain Ollie Pope to return to his usual best in the upcoming fifth and final Test versus India, which gets underway on March 7 in Dharamsala. Ben Stokes' deputy has been off-colour since his majestic 196 in the first Test, in Hyderabad, which helped his side take a 1-0 lead before they faltered in the next three Tests. Pope has not even touched the 50-run mark since his daddy hundred and, hence, there are talks regarding his spot being under threat. Amid all this, McCullum has backed the English batter.

Ahead of the Dharamsala Test, McCullum told reporters, "He’s aware of what he needs to do. He obviously bagged them in the last Test and he’s gutted about that but look at the way he was then helping the skipper on the last day and diving around in the field."

McCullum further opined that he was only interested in seeing Pope bring his best to the table, both as a batter and fielder. "That’s the stuff you’re desperate for as a coach, to see people giving it their best regardless of their own performance. He displayed great leadership qualities and that showed where he’s at as a player, member of this team and as a person," the former New Zealand captain stated.

Since Pope's struggles, many have pointed out that he has looked shaky at the start. However, McCullum brushed aside all such claims by saying that even greats such as Ricky Ponting and Kevin Pietersen used to take time before settling in. "Look at Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting when they first went out to bat. They were frenetic at the start and everyone’s susceptible when they first go out there. It’s just the way it is.

"But Popey is trying to be as calm as he can be when he goes out there and there’s a period when he needs to grab information from the wicket and get the rhythm of how the game is going," added McCullum.

The fifth and final Test between India and England gets underway on March 7. With the hosts already having an unassailable 3-1 lead, there is still a lot to play for (especially the WTC points) and, hence, Stokes & Co. will be eager to finish off on a high.