IND vs ENG: English bowler told the trick to control Rohit Sharma, also revealed the strategy to beat India.
England fast bowler Mark Wood said on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 that it will be important for them to control Rohit Sharma and the team plans to beat India at home in the 5-match Test series. The first Test is to be played in Hyderabad from Thursday 25 January 2024. Mark Wood also told in the press conference that Rohit Sharma can be controlled by using short-pitched balls judiciously.
Mark Wood said that despite the slow nature of the pitches, his strategy may have helped. He said, ‘Yes, the circumstances will be assessed when I take the field. Bouncers are rarely used here, but the pitch can sometimes be double-paced. Even if it is slow, it can help the bowlers because the batsman will have difficulty in playing shots.
Rohit plays very well against short balls: Mark Wood
Mark Wood said, ‘I know how good a player like Rohit is against the short ball. That doesn’t mean I won’t bowl bouncers. It just means that I have to be very precise and bowl at the right time. England is playing aggressive cricket under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, but Mark Wood said that the team is also ready to adapt to the conditions.
Will adopt strategy to attack after seeing opportunity: Mark Wood
Mark Wood said, ‘I think we will try to take the game forward. I think sometimes it is wise to strengthen your position and then when the opportunity comes, put pressure back (on India). The 34-year-old Durham player said handling pressure will also be key in determining whether England create history on Indian soil, as they did against Pakistan in late 2022.
England is ready to face pressure: Mark Wood
Mark Wood said, ‘I think it is all about bearing the pressure at the time of need, perhaps when the Indian batsmen are on top. We will have to endure it and attack again when the time is right. It is the same with both bat and ball. England became the first foreign team to clean sweep Pakistan at home in 2022 by defeating them 3-0.
England last won the Test series in India in 2012-13 under the captaincy of Alastair Cook. Mark Wood said, ‘We know the challenges here. They (India) rarely lose at home. I think this is like a free hit for us where we can try something different.
We have a chance to make history: Mark Wood
He said, ‘We recently created history in Pakistan. Be the first team to win every match, so this is another opportunity to do something historic and beat India in their own conditions. Mark Wood dismissed concerns over England’s lack of preparation for this series. He said that the England team has prepared well in the camp in Abu Dhabi.
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