The First Six He Hit Off Me, Was A Hell Of A Shot - Mark Wood Left In Awe By Virat Kohli's Pull Shot

Despite bowling absolutely terrific in his first three overs, Mark Wood, in his fourth was carted around the ground by Virat Kohli, who scored back-to-back fifties after consecutive ducks, in the third T20I on Tuesday.

With his extremely high pace, Mark Wood ran through the Indian top-order picking up wickets of both openers, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma in the powerplay. In his third over, the 15th, he dismissed Shreyas Iyer with another short ball; his figures read 3-0-14-3,

However, his last over, the 18th, was met with a masterclass attack of Virat Kohli. On the third ball of the over, the right-hander anticipated a short ball; Wood obliged. Kohli moved across the off-stump and pulled with utter disdain, over the long square boundary for a maximum.

“We have a plan as a group. Chris Jordon is an experienced bowler. We decide on the ball we are going to bowl and then you try to execute that. The plan was good but the execution was wrong. On a couple of balls, I felt I executed what I wanted to bowl, but Kohli just played good shots and good players are allowed to do that. The first six he hit off me, was a hell of a shot,” said  Mark Wood during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

I Will take a battering in the end for early wickets which I got: Mark Wood

Mark Wood compensated for the previous short ball with a fuller length delivery, which was smashed by the Indian skipper for another maximum over long-off. On the next ball, Wood retorted to his short ball ploy, one which Kohli again anticipated and slicing it towards the third man region for a boundary, picking 17 off the last over of England’s best bowler on the night.

Astonished by Kohli’s shots, however, the pacer reckons he doesn’t mind being taken for runs if the trade-off is that he picks those early wickets denting the opposition’s total by a significant margin. That is what happened as, despite Kohli’s marvellous innings, the hosts could post a moderate total which was chased down comfortably by England.

“If you allow good players to get in, he got in and he took his time and he caught up with it in the end. He is a fantastic player, but we were pleased with the score we kept them too. I will take the battering in the end for the early wickets which I got,” Mark Wood maintained.

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