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Ollie Pope (left) has doubly led England successful warm-up matches since Brendon McCullum took implicit arsenic coachOllie Pope says helium is not reasoning astir becoming England skipper successful the future, but it "might beryllium an option".
Batter Pope, 25, has doubly led England successful warm-ups this wintertime and was successful enactment to skipper had Ben Stokes not been acceptable for the archetypal Test successful Pakistan.
"I effort not to look into it. I've got to people runs and beryllium palmy astatine fig three," Pope told BBC Sport.
"I'll support processing my cricket brain, truthful if the accidental does originate I'll beryllium arsenic good equipped arsenic I tin be."
Surrey's Pope took complaint of the England squad for a lucifer against England Lions earlier the 3-0 bid triumph successful Pakistan, and did the aforesaid again successful Hamilton successful a two-day lucifer against a New Zealand XI that has served arsenic mentation for 2 Tests against New Zealand.
He was besides connected standby to pb the squad successful Rawalpindi successful December erstwhile unwellness deed the England campy earlier the archetypal Test against Pakistan and Stokes was 1 of the players affected.
England person not named an authoritative vice-captain to Stokes and Pope says determination is nary "label" connected his accrued vulnerability to a enactment role.
"There's nary vice-captain, determination are a batch of leaders wrong the changing room," said Pope.
"If Stokesy wants to bounce ideas disconnected maine during a game, I'm much than blessed to usage my knowledge.
"It [the captaincy] mightiness beryllium an enactment they are looking astatine successful the future. It's conscionable bully to beryllium seen arsenic a person successful that changing room."
Pope, who has played 33 Tests since making his debut arsenic a 20-year-old successful 2018, captained teams astatine inferior level but has lone skippered successful 1 crippled of nonrecreational cricket - Surrey's high-scoring gully against Glamorgan successful the County Championship astatine the extremity of the 2021 season.
Despite that deficiency of enactment experience, gait bowler Stuart Broad has labelled Pope a "future England captain".
"Popey is simply a large person successful the group," said Broad, who has played nether six captains successful his 159-Test career.
"He's grown truthful overmuch successful the past year, successful the mode helium operates, the assurance and work he's been given. He speaks truly good successful the radical and he's got a large cricket mind."
England's archetypal Test against New Zealand, a day-night lucifer successful Mount Maunganui, begins connected Thursday (01:00 GMT).
The build-up could beryllium disrupted by Cyclone Gabrielle, which is owed to deed bluish New Zealand successful the coming days.
However, Pope believes England person already done capable to beryllium acceptable arsenic they bid to to gain their archetypal Test triumph successful this state for 15 years.
"We're each 100% ready," said Pope. "If the Test was time we'd beryllium raring to go."
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