Chris Woakes can be the real leader of the attack, reckons Ollie Pope

Chris Woakes has not played an overseas Test since 2022 and has not bowled a bowl in the format in Asia since 2016. Yet, he finds himself playing in Pakistan for the first time in his career, in a position to lead the pace bowling attack that features Gus Atkinson, who has featured in six Tests and Brydon Carse, who is making his debut.

However, stand-in captain Ollie Pope has backed the senior bowler to lead the pack and lead them well. "He's still got that real hunger and desire to play a lot more test cricket, which is brilliant for us," Pope said on October 6 (Sunday), ahead of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan.

"He's been working hard on his game to try and find different ways of taking wickets on different surfaces."

"Any side was going to miss Jimmy Anderson, but at the same time, we've seen this summer that guys can step up and fill in for him. Chris Woakes, the skills that he's got probably operating at a fairly similar pace, he's been working hard on his skills so he can step up and be that real leader of the attack."

With Atkinson and Carse, Pope believes England have what it takes to to fill the void left by Anderson. "We've obviously got Gus Atkinson off the back of a really hot summer. A bit of extra pace with him and Brydon Carse too. So I think we've got the skill set to fill that gap that Jimmy's left," Pope said.

"Obviously, it's never going to be easy, but it's going to be a great opportunity for those guys to learn and to bowl in some different conditions and use their pace and their skills."

England completed a 3-0 clean sweep the last time they toured Pakistan in 2022. The hosts have not been in the best of form lately, having suffered a series loss to Bangladesh at home and being blanked 3-0 by Australia Down Under. In fact, they are yet to win a Test under new captain Shan Masood.

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