OLLIE POPE has sought out the advice of Joe Root after admitting the demands of being stand-in England captain had crept into his batting against Sri Lanka.

In the first of three outings deputising for the injured Ben Stokes, Pope oversaw England’s five-wicket victory at Old Trafford last week, an experience only tempered by being twice out for six.

His second-innings dismissal, where he miscued a reverse sweep, drew faint criticism and Pope accepts he struggled to switch off from leading the team and concentrate fully on batting at number three.