IND vs ENG: Mark Wood says English team is not worried about leaking runs

England have failed to defend their total twice in the first two T20s against India in the ongoing series

The England cricket team is currently taking part in a five-match T20 series against India, marking their first white-ball assignment of 2025. The English side are trailing 0-2 in the series and are forced to play virtual knockouts for the remainder of the series, as a single loss in the three remaining games will cost them the trophy. While everyone expected the Three Lions to display explosive fireworks with the bat, the visitors have failed to do so, managing only 132 and 165 in the first two T20s. On top of that, they allowed Indian batters to score runs easily during the chase, which ultimately cost them both games.

 

However, with the third T20 set to take place on Tuesday, English pacer Mark Wood addressed the media on Monday, saying that the visiting side is not concerned about leaking runs during the game and only want to focus on taking wickets. He also praised the young Indian talents for their mature approach in the matches.

 

Wood’s focus on wickets, not runs

Wood explained that under the guidance of coach Brendon McCullum, England are encouraged to adopt an attacking mindset, emphasising taking wickets. He pointed out that, despite conceding some runs in their previous matches, the team’s main focus was always on getting wickets, which they believe will ultimately win them games.

 

He added that McCullum doesn’t want the bowlers to worry about runs but to focus on how they can impact the game by taking wickets.

 

Spin and pace: England’s bowling strategy

While England’s pace attack, led by Wood, has posed challenges for India’s batters, they’ve struggled against India’s spinners. However, Wood made it clear that England still see Adil Rashid as one of their key assets, describing him as a world-class spinner. He emphasised that Rashid always appears to be in contention for taking wickets every time he plays.

 

Wood also highlighted the strength of England’s pace attack, mentioning other options such as Liam Livingstone and Luke Bethell, who are part of their plan to challenge India’s batting depth.

 

 

 

Wood reflects on personal performance

Wood reflected on his personal form, expressing satisfaction with his pace but acknowledging that his accuracy still needs refinement. He noted that after a long absence from international cricket, it was expected that some aspects of his game would need adjustment. Despite the occasional lack of accuracy, Wood is focused on improving through more match exposure, particularly ahead of the 50-over format and the Champions Trophy.

 

He stated that the more matches he plays, the better his accuracy will become, and he’s confident that, with time, his performance will improve.

 

Acknowledging India’s young talent

When discussing India’s young players, including Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, Wood praised their skill and batting ability. He acknowledged that India’s batting lineup has great depth, with both experienced players and young talents coming through. Despite this, Wood emphasised that his focus remains firmly on how England performs as a team.

 

He mentioned that, while India has promising young talent, his concentration is on improving England’s performance rather than solely focusing on the opposition.

  (With PTI inputs)