Ben Stokes criticized media speculation regarding Ollie Pope's place in the England team, asserting that certain narratives were driven by an agenda. In a press conference, he highlighted the importance of Pope as vice-captain and noted the other players' strong performances that contributed to England's decisive victory. Stokes deemed the portrayal of his comments about Jacob Bethell's potential return misleading, affirming Pope's role and value as a key player in the squad, as well as expressing admiration for the young bowler Shoaib Bashir's rising talent.
"It is unfortunate that you say something and it can get twisted... Popey knows how much I value him, both as a player and as a leader."
"If you talk about nailing down a position, Beth has done himself the world of good with the performances... in New Zealand over the winter."
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