"I hope people aren't expecting me to bowl like James Anderson" - Mark Wood on replacing retired pacer in England XI

England fast bowler Mark Wood replaced the legendary pacer James Anderson in the team’s playing XI for the ongoing second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.

Wood stepped into the big shoes after Anderson retired from international cricket following England's resounding victory by an innings and 114 runs in the ongoing three-match Test series opener at Lord's last week.

Mark Wood steps into James Anderson's shoes for England in Test arena

Wood, known for his pace and aggression, returns to the England Cricket Team in Test cricket after his last appearance during their tour of India earlier this year. With 108 wickets in 34 Test matches under his belt, the 32-year-old brings experience and firepower to England’s bowling attack.

Alongside Wood, the pace bowling duties will be shared by the experienced pacer Chris Woakes and the young gun Gus Atkinson, who made a remarkable debut in whites, taking 12 wickets in the Lord’s Test against the West Indies to finish the match within three days.

Well, Anderson was one of the all-time greatest pacers in the world, so replacing the legendary seamer won’t be possible, but Wood’s ability to generate pace and trouble batters with his variations will be crucial for England to make up in Test cricket.

After stepping into the big shoes, Wood said that it is really great to have Anderson around the team and get some valuable tips, as the legendary bowler will remain with the Test team for the home summer as a mentor after calling time on his international career.

Expressing his admiration for Anderson's presence on the team, Wook acknowledged that filling his role on the field is a significant challenge. He also made it clear that people should not expect him to bowl like Anderson, saying he will bring his own approach and strengths to the game.

People should not expect me to bowl like James Anderson: Mark Wood

Mark Wood was quoted as saying by Sky Sports Cricket: “It's great to have Jimmy still in there and passing on his knowledge. He creates a huge hole in the team. I hope people aren't expecting me to bowl like Anderson that's not going to happen.”

Reflecting on his recent workload, Wood noted that he didn’t get to bowl lots of overs in the recent T20 World Cup 2024, so he is physically fit and fresh and is ready for the summer at home. However, Wood emphasized the importance of being on the field and experiencing match conditions firsthand.

Wood signed off by saying, “Off the back of the T20 World Cup, I don't feel like I've had a load of overs under my belt. I feel fresh, I'm not coming off an injury or anything, so I'm ready to go. I've been trying to build it up during training sessions and plenty of running behind the scenes. There's nothing like being on the field though.”

Notably, speaking about the second Test between England and the West Indies, the hosts are batting at 160 (at writing time), with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root departing at 0, 71, and 14, respectively.