Ollie Pope has lost England’s number three spot more often than any specialist batter in the Bazball era, and now a third player in as many years is stepping in. Jacob Bethell filled in twice, scoring a maiden century in Sydney during his second stint, before injury ruled him out of the Pakistan series. Jordan Cox takes over having barely batted at first-drop before, with just one previous knock there in his entire career, back in 2019. The step up in responsibility is considerable for a one-cap player.
A Long Search For A Settled No.3
Since the Bazball era began in 2022, the position has rarely stayed with one player for long. Pope has been the default occupant but keeps losing the job under pressure, most recently dropped after the 2025-26 Ashes, where he averaged 20.83 and went sixteen innings without a fifty.
Bethell twice stepped in as cover, first on the 2024 tour of New Zealand and again for the final two Ashes Tests, delivering a maiden century in Sydney during that second stint. With Bethell now sidelined through injury, the job passes to someone with almost no experience there.
Jordan Cox England Number 3 Against Pakistan Test Series
He was named in the 16-man squad for the first two Tests against Pakistan, with selector Marcus North confirming he would get the opportunity to bat at three in Bethell’s absence. He made his Test debut against New Zealand at The Oval in June 2026, batting at number seven.
His own first-class experience at three is almost nonexistent. The only previous knock there came back in 2019, aged eighteen, when he was dismissed twice in the match by Ravichandran Ashwin. He has admitted he cannot remember batting at three before, though two years opening for Kent should mean the new ball holds no fear.
The first Test starts on 19 August at Headingley, followed by Lord’s and Edgbaston. North’s message to him has been simple: keep playing his natural game rather than reshaping his technique for the step up in responsibility.
The Technical Game He Brings
He carries a first-class batting average in the 40s and has scored nine centuries, including an unbeaten 238, the highest maiden first-class hundred in Kent’s history, and a 204 for Essex against Leicestershire this year. He is an aggressive strokemaker who has opened extensively for Kent, so the new ball holds no mystery.
Almost all of that output has come from number four or the top of the order rather than first-drop specifically. His wicketkeeping background gives England some flexibility further down the order if Jamie Smith needs cover, though that is secondary to the runs he needs at three.
Comparing Him To Past No.3 Occupants
The pattern since 2022 has been a cycle of returns to Pope interrupted by short-term fixes whenever he struggled. Pope’s overall Bazball-era average of 39.01 hides brutal series-to-series swings, including that sub-21 return during the last Ashes.
Batter | Period at No.3 | Matches | Average | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ollie Pope | 2022-2025 (primary) | Majority since 2022 | 39.01 (era avg) | Dropped after 2025-26 Ashes |
Jacob Bethell | Late 2024, NZ tour | 3 | 52 (series avg) | Three fifties; returned to Pope |
Jacob Bethell | Dec 2025-Jan 2026, Ashes 4-5 | 2 | 38.71 (career) | Century in Sydney; ruled out for 2026 |
Jordan Cox | Aug 2026, vs Pakistan | 0 (starting) | First-class 40s | Series just beginning |
Bethell’s two stints produced healthier numbers without ever being made permanent, largely because his chances came from injuries or Pope’s dips in form. Nobody occupying this position over the last four years has done so because selectors chose to end the search; it has always been because somebody else was unavailable.
Can He Finally End The No.3 Problem
He arrives with the domestic run-scoring credentials to succeed, but stronger county records have failed at this position before. What differs this time is the framing: North described this as covering for Bethell rather than a settled appointment, which suggests England may still be searching once Bethell recovers.
Whether the Jordan Cox England number 3 against Pakistan Test series experiment turns into a long-term fix will depend on runs against a Pakistan attack built around the spin pairing of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, across three Tests starting at Headingley.
Can Cox do what Pope and Bethell couldn’t and make this position his own, or is England still searching by Christmas? Let us know your prediction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who has batted at number three for England recently?
Ollie Pope has been the main occupant since 2022, with Jacob Bethell deputising twice. Jordan Cox has now taken over for the 2026 series against Pakistan.
What is Jordan Cox’s batting average?
Cox holds a first-class batting average in the 40s, with nine centuries to his name. His best includes an unbeaten 238 for Kent and a 204 for Essex this year.
Why has England’s Test number three spot been unsettled?
No batter has held the position consistently since 2022, with Pope dropped and recalled multiple times. Every replacement has arrived through injury or loss of form rather than a permanent switch.
Is Jordan Cox playing in the 2026 Pakistan series?
Yes, Cox was named in the squad for the first two Tests and will bat at number three. The opening Test begins at Headingley on 19 August 2026.
What position did Jordan Cox play before batting at three?
He made his Test debut at number seven against New Zealand in June 2026. He has largely been viewed as a wicketkeeper-batter option for the middle and lower order.