Hyderabad: England’s tearaway pacer Mark Wood says the side’s astonishing come-from-behind 28-run win in the first Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has given India something to think about ahead of the second game of the series at Visakhapatnam.
England converted conceding a lead of 190 runs to defeat India by 28 runs, which will rank as one of their greatest Test wins in overseas conditions. Vice-captain Ollie Pope’s 196 and debutant left-arm spinner Tom Hartley’s 7-62 played key roles in England’s come-from-behind improbable win, giving them 1-0 lead in the five-game series.
“They now have to come up with a different plan. We’ve only won one game and there are five in the series. We’ve proved to India it will be a battle and we’re not going to give up. “It’s one of our greatest wins.
“People were a little bit sceptical before but there was always belief in the group. We knew it was going to be a huge task, which it was, but it’s a monumental achievement. Now we know we can do it and we have given India something to think about,” said Wood to BBC Sport.
When England last toured India in 2021, the hosts’ bounced back after losing the series opener in Chennai by winning the series 3-1 on extreme spin-friendly pitches. “They are a top team. Even coming here before the series, everyone expects India to roll us over.”
“I don’t know what pitch they will produce. India have got the potential to produce any wicket here. 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 gonna spin us out,” added Wood.
India’s next Test match against England will be held at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on February 2.
(IANS)
