(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] England’s lone pacer in the first Test against India at Hyderabad, Mark Wood, anticipates that the hosts have the capability to tailor the pitch according to their preferences for the second Test in Visakhapatnam, commencing on February 2.
Following England’s impressive 28-run victory in the opening match of the five-game series on Sunday, speculations arose that the Rohit Sharma-led side might not replicate the same pitch conditions that favored England’s batsmen in the second innings at Hyderabad.
The 34-year-old Wood expressed uncertainty about the nature of the upcoming pitch in Visakhapatnam but highlighted that England’s performance has given the Indian team something to ponder.
“I don’t know what they will produce. India have got the potential to produce any wicket here. I’ve played in World Cup games and IPL games where it’s seamed, flat pitches, spinning wickets. They have the potential to do any wicket they want. But now, we’ve given them something to think about. It’s not a foregone conclusion that we are going to turn up here and they’re going to spin us out,” Wood said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
He acknowledged Ollie Pope’s outstanding innings and emphasized that the Indian team will need to analyze and strategize, similar to what England would do in case of unfavorable outcomes.
“Ollie Pope has played a fantastic knock, they’re now going to have to go analyse, like we would do if things didn’t go well, and analyse how they are going to try and combat that,” he added.
Wood, who remained wicketless in the Hyderabad Test, also acknowledged that the English side is not prematurely anticipating an easy series win.
“We’ve won one game, it’s a hell of an achievement, but I don’t think we need to get too far ahead of ourselves. Don’t build this up now and say, ‘ah we’re going to win’. It’s the same again. Go into the next game with the same belief, same process and hopefully get the same result,” Wood concluded.