Mark Wood issues fresh warning to India after 'one of England's greatest wins' in Hyderabad

England pacer Mark Wood has given the Indian team a serious warning after his team’s momentous victory in the first Test in Hyderabad. India lost the Test by 28 runs as they failed to chase down 231 in the fourth innings.

Wood played as the lone pacer in the England XI with three spinners Jack Leach, Rehan Ahmed, and Tom Hartley. Hartley on debut picked up 7/62 in the second innings after giving away 131 runs in 25 overs in the first innings while taking two wickets. He was more lethal and almost unplayable in the second innings.

Mark Wood bowled 25 overs giving away 62 runs and remained wicketless. There was not much help for him from the wicket while it was conducive for the spinners. England spinners took 18 wickets in the match as opposed to just 14 by the more experienced Indian spinners.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Mark Wood said that the hosts would now have to come up with a new plan and England proved to them that they wouldn’t give up in the 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,” Wood told BBC Sport.

He further said that the Hyderabad Test win was one of their greatest ever in Test cricket adding the win has given India something to think about for the rest of the series. He further added that England have belief in their camp after the win.

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One Of Our Greatest Wins: Mark Wood

“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.

The pacer is now expecting a strong response from the Indian team who have been surely taken aback by this defeat. Heading into the second Test in Vizag India will be without Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul due to injury concerns. It was a sort of batting collapse from the Indian batters after the fall of Yashasvi Jaiswal with the England bowlers hitting back hard.

“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 have dropped to the fifth position on the WTC points table with 43.33 PCT points. England are still placed eighth on the table with 29.16 PCT points. The second Test match in Vizag starts on February 2.

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