Pope goes fourth for England against India

England skipper Joe Root announced on Wednesday that Ollie Pope will make his Test debut batting at the number four position during the second Test against India at Lord's.

Ollie Pope will make his Test debut for England against India at Lord's. Reuters/Paul Childs

Pope, 20, has been drafted into the team as a direct replacement for Dawid Malan, who failed to shine with the bat during England's 31-run win in the first Test at Edgbaston last week.

Pope made his first-class debut in March 2017 and has been called into the Test squad after only 15 matches for his county championship side Surrey.

This season he has scored 684 runs for Surrey at an average of 85.5, including three centuries.

Root said: "Pope's batted at number six for Surrey this season. But, having seen him play a little bit, and the way his game is set up, I think it's very much transferable to bat at number four in Test cricket.

"I know that might be seen as quite a big jump. But he's obviously an exciting talent and, with the guys around him, I think he fits nicely into that position in our team."

England go into the game without Ben Stokes who is on trial in Bristol, south-west England, on the charge of affray following an incident outside a nightclub in Bristol last September.

Stokes, 27, starred last Saturday during the fourth day of the first Test at Edgbaston, where he took three wickets including that of India skipper Virat Kohli to help England to their win.