NEW DELHI: England fast bowler Mark Wood has highlighted the strategy of using short-pitched deliveries to curb the impact of Rohit Sharma as a key part of England’s plans for the upcoming five-match Test series against India.
Wood mentioned that while bouncers are rarely used in Indian conditions, the slow nature of the pitches could assist this strategy.
“The pitch sometimes can be two-paced and, if it is slow, it can help (bowlers) because the batters will be through with the shot. Someone like Rohit, I know how good he is on the short ball. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I wouldn’t bowl a bouncer. It just means that I’ll have to be really accurate with it and bowl at the right time,” Wood explained.Under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England have adopted an aggressive style of play but are also willing to adapt to the conditions. Wood emphasized capitalizing on opportunities to put pressure on the home side.
“I think we’ll still look to take the game on. I think at times it’s been smart, though, you know, to consolidate it in and then when the chance comes to put the pressure back on (India),” Wood stated.
Handling pressure will be crucial for England in their quest to create history in India, a feat they achieved against Pakistan in late 2022. Wood acknowledged the challenges of playing in India but sees it as an opportunity to do something historic.
Wood mentioned that while bouncers are rarely used in Indian conditions, the slow nature of the pitches could assist this strategy.
“The pitch sometimes can be two-paced and, if it is slow, it can help (bowlers) because the batters will be through with the shot. Someone like Rohit, I know how good he is on the short ball. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I wouldn’t bowl a bouncer. It just means that I’ll have to be really accurate with it and bowl at the right time,” Wood explained.Under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England have adopted an aggressive style of play but are also willing to adapt to the conditions. Wood emphasized capitalizing on opportunities to put pressure on the home side.
“I think we’ll still look to take the game on. I think at times it’s been smart, though, you know, to consolidate it in and then when the chance comes to put the pressure back on (India),” Wood stated.
Handling pressure will be crucial for England in their quest to create history in India, a feat they achieved against Pakistan in late 2022. Wood acknowledged the challenges of playing in India but sees it as an opportunity to do something historic.
“We know the challenges here. They (India) very rarely lose at home. I think it’s almost like a bit of a free hit for us where we can come in and try something different. We created history in Pakistan recently, becoming the first team to win every match. So, this is another chance to do something historic and try and beat India in their own conditions,” he added.
Wood dismissed concerns about England being under-prepared, mentioning their camp in Abu Dhabi, where they focused on various aspects of the game and had a team bonding session to arrive in India mentally and physically ready for the series.
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(With inputs from PTI)
