England’s No.3 Conundrum: Should Jacob Bethell Take Ollie Pope’s Spot in the Test Side?

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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Shaky Ground for Ollie Pope at No.3

England’s batting order is under a spotlight again, this time thanks to an old problem—the No.3 slot. Ollie Pope, who has usually delivered steady runs for England, is now seeing his place questioned as talk grows louder about Jacob Bethell taking over. When Ben Stokes stuck with Pope for the first Test at Headingley, it looked like a safe bet. After all, Pope was coming off a headline-grabbing 171 against Zimbabwe, and his numbers at one-down have been respectable—just over 2,000 runs in 28 matches, averaging a shade over 43.

But numbers don’t always tell the whole story. In the second Test at Edgbaston, Pope struggled. He fell for a golden duck, then managed only 24 in the second innings. Suddenly, the faith in his resilience was being questioned on all sides. England’s heavy 336-run loss to India only made things worse, putting every batting position under the microscope and leaving Stokes with some tough choices as the series moves to Lord’s.

Why Jacob Bethell’s Name Won’t Fade Away

This is where Jacob Bethell comes in. Bethell isn’t just another new name knocking at the door—he’s the guy who turned heads during the tour of New Zealand, where he hit three consecutive fifties. His style is aggressive, more in line with how he plays at the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Betting on youth and dynamism, Bethell’s approach is the opposite of predictable Test match caution. He’s a left-hander who can break opposition attacks and bring a spark when the batting order looks flat.

The conversation isn’t happening in a vacuum. Big voices like Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have openly wondered whether Pope’s recent patchiness really deserves yet another chance. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik, a keen observer of both Indian and English cricket, rates Bethell as someone who’s already proven his adaptability, pointing out his ability to switch gears and play the situation.

Stokes himself isn’t pretending it’s all rosy. He’s talked up Pope’s toughness under pressure, but also admits England can’t ignore in-form players who promise impact, especially given how Test cricket’s demands are shifting. The old anchor role at No.3 might not cut it anymore; sides want aggression and momentum. Bethell, with his fresh approach, seems to fit the bill.

England’s squad for the third Test at Lord’s now includes fast bowler Gus Atkinson, signaling that experiment might be on the cards beyond just the batting lineup. With the series tied 1-1 and only three matches left (Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval), every selection could swing the outcome. And with India’s own batting lineup far from settled, whoever claims the No.3 spot for England could shape not just the next game, but potentially the whole summer’s narrative.

This is more than a numbers game. It’s about balancing experience with promise, tradition with innovation, and figuring out if a gamble on Bethell might be exactly the shakeup England need right now.