Ollie Pope Biography: Birthday, Career, Stats and Records

Ollie Pope is an English right‑hand batsman who has featured regularly for England in Test cricket since 2018.

Oliver John Douglas Pope was born on 2 January 1998 in Chelsea, United Kingdom. He is a right‑hand batter who also keeps wicket on occasion and represents England in Test cricket while playing his county cricket for Surrey County Cricket Club. Pope made his Test debut against India at Lord’s on 9 August 2018 and, as of 17 December 2025, has appeared in 64 Tests, scoring 3,732 runs at an average of 34.56, with a strike‑rate of 64.42, nine centuries and sixteen fifties.

His highest Test score is 205, made against Ireland at Lord’s on 1 June 2023, and he has recorded further big knocks of 196 against India, 171 against Zimbabwe and 154 against Sri Lanka. Pope served as England’s vice‑captain from May 2023 until September 2025 and has been a regular feature in England’s middle order, noted for an elegant cover drive and the ability to rotate the strike.

Ollie Pope: quick facts

Born: 2 January 1998, Chelsea
Team: England
Teams: Surrey County Cricket Club

Ollie Pope career statistics

Batting

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest	Average	Strike rate	100s	50s
Tests	64	113	3,732	205	34.56	64.42	9	16

Figures as of 13 November 2026. Figures from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org), Open Data Commons Attribution licence.

Ollie Pope’s early life

Pope attended Cranleigh School, where he is the great‑great‑great‑great‑grandson of the school’s first headmaster, Joseph Merriman. At school he played cricket, football and hockey, and represented Guildford and Cranleigh Cricket Clubs in junior competitions. His early involvement with Surrey age‑group sides laid the foundation for a professional career.

He made his first XI debut for Surrey at the age of 15 in 2013 and later toured South Africa with the Surrey Youth team alongside future England players Sam Curran, Ryan Patel and Amar Virdi. These experiences helped him develop the technique that would later be compared to that of Ian Bell.

Ollie Pope’s domestic career

Pope signed a two‑year professional contract with Surrey on 26 August 2016 and debuted in List A cricket two days later, scoring 20 runs off 23 balls in the Royal London One‑Day Cup semi‑final against Yorkshire. His first‑class debut came on 28 March 2017 against Oxford MCCU, and he recorded his maiden first‑class century against Hampshire at the end of the 2017 season, aged 19. He also featured in the NatWest T20 Blast later that year.

The 2018 season proved pivotal as Pope amassed four centuries and averaged 70.42, contributing to Surrey’s County Championship triumph and earning the PCA Young Player of the Year award. In 2019 he topped Surrey’s run‑scoring charts with 812 runs at an average of 101, including three centuries in just nine innings. After the pandemic‑affected 2020 season, he returned in 2021 to score 861 runs at 78.27, highlighted by a career‑best 274 against Glamorgan. He was bought by Welsh Fire for the 2022 Hundred season.

Ollie Pope’s international career

Pope earned his Test cap against India at Lord’s on 9 August 2018, making 28 in his sole innings as England won by an innings. He later featured in tours of Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa, scoring his maiden Test century – an unbeaten 135 – in Port Elizabeth in 2019. A shoulder injury in 2020 limited his participation, but he returned to play all six Tests that summer, accumulating 215 runs, including scores of 91 and 62. He was appointed England’s vice‑captain in May 2023 and led the side temporarily during the 2024 Sri Lanka series when Ben Stokes was unavailable.

Across 64 Tests up to 17 December 2025 Pope has compiled 3,732 runs in 113 innings, with nine hundreds and sixteen fifties. His top scores include 205 against Ireland (1 June 2023), 196 against India (25 January 2024), 171 against Zimbabwe (22 May 2025) and 154 against Sri Lanka (6 September 2024). In the most recent international window (November–December 2025) he played three Tests, scoring 125 runs in six innings, the highest being 46.

Ollie Pope’s franchise and league career

Pope entered the Hundred competition in 2022 when Welsh Fire secured his services for the inaugural season, adding a limited‑overs dimension to his résumé. He has not featured in other major T20 leagues, focusing primarily on his county and Test commitments.

In October 2026 Pope withdrew from the Afghanistan Premier League draft, becoming the only centrally contracted England player to step back from the inaugural tournament scheduled in the United Arab Emirates. The decision was reported alongside other overseas players who also opted out of the draft.

Ollie Pope’s playing style

Pope is a right‑hand batsman whose technique has drawn comparisons to former England great Ian Bell. Observers note his elegant cover drive, compact batting stance and the ability to rotate the strike efficiently, traits that have been highlighted by former internationals such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brett Lee and Kevin Pietersen.

While primarily a top‑order specialist, Pope occasionally dons the gloves as a wicket‑keeper, offering flexibility to his side. His measured approach at the crease, combined with a strike‑rate of 64.42 in Tests, reflects a blend of classical technique and modern scoring intent.

Ollie Pope’s records and achievements

Pope’s 205 against Ireland set a new benchmark for the fastest Test double‑hundred on English soil, reached in 207 balls, surpassing Ian Botham’s previous record of 220 balls. In 2025 he became the first Test cricketer to record centuries against eight different international teams, a milestone achieved during his 171 against Zimbabwe. He also recorded a match‑winning 196 in India, the fourth highest English score on Indian soil, and a consecutive century streak that included a hundred against India in the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy.

Overall, Pope has taken 79 catches in Test cricket, underscoring his fielding contributions. His nine Test centuries and sixteen fifties illustrate his capacity for big scores, while his occasional leadership as vice‑captain and stand‑in captain highlights his standing within the England set‑up.

Ollie Pope’s personal life

Pope’s education at Cranleigh School provided a strong academic and sporting foundation, and his family lineage links back to the school’s first headmaster, Joseph Merriman, as a great‑great‑great‑great‑grandson. Beyond cricket, he participated in school football and hockey, showcasing a broad athletic background.

He remains closely associated with Surrey, having progressed through the county’s age‑group system to become a senior professional. No further personal details such as marital status or off‑field ventures are recorded in the available data.