England’s 2019 World Cup winner Mark Wood on Wednesday (September 2) admitted that he was “frustrated” after being “dropped” for most of the international summer at home ahead of the limited-overs series against Australia starting on Friday (September 4).
Wood has endured a frustrating time on the fringes, featuring in only one game of England's last six Tests against West Indies and Pakistan and the pacer admitted that it was “hard mentally” to live for two months in a bio-secure bubble without having game time.
However, the 30-year-old is now keen to take out his frustration on the “biggest rivals” Australia and make an impression with the ball in the upcoming three-match T20I series and as many as ODIs after a tough summer behind closed doors recently.
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Wood said in a video call on Wednesday: “Of course, it's frustrating; you never want to be left out, or the easy drop all the time. But there's nothing more you can do. I'm trying to work on a wobble seam with a red ball, that's something that hasn't come naturally to me, but I'm trying to improve there.”
The bowler also insisted that he was not moaning and groaning at the selectors after being missed out on the selection as he is hoping to play in the upcoming Australia series.
The pacer further added, “It’s not my style to shout and scream. I have a great relationship with Chris Silverwood and I just asked him honestly what I needed to do to get in the team and improve. Sometimes you don’t get the answer you’re looking for. He said he was happy with my training ethic, and how I was around the team but just that I didn’t get selected.
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It was just a 50-50 call, and they went the other way without me. I think once you know you are not in the team, you are disappointed but you are very lucky to still be in a squad playing for England. The lads that played did well and it was hard for me to force myself in. So I just tried to be as good a team man as I could be, not moaning and groaning and giving as much energy back to the team as I could from the sidelines.”
Wood signed off by saying, “It’s always good when you play for England, don’t get me wrong, but there’s an extra incentive when you play Australia, your biggest rivals. They are desperate to beat you, you are desperate to beat them. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Ashes, white ball, T20. We’ll be desperate to beat them.”
(With AP Inputs)
