England's interim captain Ollie Pope is confident that Chris Woakes will effectively lead their pace attack in the upcoming three-Test series in Pakistan, which kicks off in Multan on Monday.
England dominated a three-Test series during their last visit to Pakistan, but their bowling lineup has undergone significant changes since James Anderson, Mark Wood, and Ollie Robinson posed challenges to the local batters two years ago. Anderson has since retired, Wood is sidelined with an elbow injury, and Robinson has been dropped, leaving Woakes to spearhead the pace attack alongside Gus Atkinson, who has six Test matches under his belt, and debutant Brydon Carse.
Pope expressed his faith in Woakes on Sunday, stating, "He still possesses a genuine hunger and desire to play more Test cricket, which is fantastic for us. He's been diligently working on his game to discover various methods of taking wickets on different surfaces."
"Any team would miss Jimmy Anderson, but we've seen this summer that others can step up and fill his shoes. Chris Woakes, with the skills he possesses and operating at a similar pace, has been honing his abilities to take on the role of the attack's leader."
Pope also highlighted Atkinson's pace and reverse-swing capabilities, which he believes will be advantageous in Pakistan. He has high hopes for Carse as well.
"We have Gus Atkinson coming off a very successful summer. His extra pace, along with Brydon Carse's, gives us the skill set needed to fill the void left by Jimmy. It won't be easy, but it's a great opportunity for these players to learn and bowl in different conditions, utilizing their pace and skills."
Anderson, now England's bowling coach, will join the squad in Multan soon. England is currently without their regular captain, Ben Stokes, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.
Pakistan, reeling from a 2-0 whitewash by Bangladesh last month, is determined to counter England's aggressive style, according to captain Shan Masood, who has finalized their playing XI.
"We understand their style, but ultimately, it's about what we need to do to counteract it," Shan said. "I believe our clarity is reflected in our playing XI, which was selected after considering the opposition and the conditions here. We trust this group of players gives us the best chance against England."
