London, Jan 30: After England pulled off a come-from-behind win over India in the 2nd Test, pacer Mark Wood has come out with a big statement when he was asked to predict the nature of the surface for the next Test. Wood hinted that England are ready to play on any track which is offered to them. From his experience of playing in India during World Cup and IPL, Wood said that India have the ability to produce any kind of wicket.
“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,” Wood said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Mark Wood commended Ollie Pope, praising his outstanding performance, labeling it as “fantastic.” Wood emphasized the need for the hosts to thoroughly assess their performance in the initial Test match, identifying areas where they may have faltered.
“We’ve given them something to ponder now. It’s not guaranteed that we’ll just show up, and they’ll spin us out. Ollie Pope delivered an exceptional performance, and now they’ll have to conduct a thorough analysis, just as we would if things didn’t go well. They need to figure out how to counteract that,” remarked Wood.
Ollie Pope’s explosive innings, coupled with the impressive debut of spinner Tom Hartley, propelled England to a 28-run victory in the first Test against India at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Despite India’s initial comfort, Pope’s impactful contribution turned the tide. The two teams are set to face each other in four more Tests.
It will be interesting to see what kind of track is prepared for the 2nd Test in Vizag, especially after India have lost the opening match. History suggests India like prepping rank-turners to outclass the opposition. With loss in the first Test, will Dravid and Co want a deadly spin-friendly track? That is the big question.
