England’s Ollie Pope insisted on one factor being crystal clear for the Surrey group he was about to guide into T20 Blast motion.
“I stated ‘look lads, that is my first time doing this. In the event you really feel like I’ve obtained one thing unsuitable, simply come to me. I don’t care for those who say I had a horrible sport as captain – come to me. I’d reasonably that than you bitch about me behind my again for a day or two’.
“And that’s what everybody did,” Pope tells BBC Sport. “In the event that they needed to speak about something, I used to be candy. I used to be open, if I did get it unsuitable, to guys developing, as a result of I’m studying on the job.”
Pope’s straight-talking method speaks to lots of his finest qualities. It speaks to his humility. Right here was England’s Take a look at vice-captain, a shoo-in at first drop and, seemingly, Ben Stokes’ successor, returning to a county dressing room – albeit his county – and requesting a bit of assist.
It speaks to his private improvement. And it speaks to his perceptiveness and innate means to take a room’s temperature.
“I have been a part of altering rooms the place guys have gotten annoyed – not essentially now, however beforehand,” says Pope.
“You lose just a few video games, guys begin speaking, and immediately they’re getting annoyed at folks inside the management group. I do know that simply makes issues worse and worse, and issues fester. I believe a group the place you may overtly criticise and provides one another suggestions might be extra profitable in the long term.”