"India have potential to produce any wicket": England pacer Mark Wood
Jan 29, 2024
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 29 : Following England's 28-run win over India in the first Test match in Hyderabad on Sunday, English pacer Mark Wood said that the hosts have the potential to make any pitches.
Wood said that he played in India during the World Cup and has taken part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and understands the wickets in India.
"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.
The 34-year-old pacer showered praise on Ollie Pope and said that his knock was "fantastic".
He added that the hosts would analyse their performance in the first Test match and see where they went wrong.
"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. 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," Wood said.
Ollie Pope's blitzkrieg, and debutant Tom Hartley's spin inspired England to a 28-run victory in the first Test against India at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. India were in a comfortable position till Ollie Pope struck a blow to their hopes. The two teams will play four more Tests.