England speedster Mark Wood has had some fascinating duels against Indian batters during his career. One of the quickest bowlers of the modern era, the 35-year-old explained why Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are three of the most difficult batters to deal with.

Speaking on the Overlap Podcast, Wood offered his insights into the challenges posed by the Indian trio. On Rohit, he commented that the Indian opener’s ability to dominate the short ball made him a unique challenge.

“Yeah, in different stages of my career, I would say Rohit Sharma. Difficult because against the short ball, you feel like you’ve got a chance of getting him out, but also if he’s on that day, he smokes it. So, he was difficult. I always felt like his bat was big, just kept getting wider,” Wood said.

Shifting his attention to Kohli, Wood admitted that the former Indian captain’s competitive nature made him stand out, even when the bowlers targeted his off-stump line.

“Kohli, obviously. Unbelievable competitor, someone that I felt you have this weakness of fourth, fifth stump, drag him in. We seem to never miss him when I bowl him there. So, that was difficult,” Wood added.

Speaking about Pant, Wood emphasized the wicketkeeper-batter’s unpredictability and fearlessness. He further stated that the southpaw thrives by unsettling bowlers with his explosive stroke play.

“I think you’ve got to hold your nerve. That’s basically what I would say. He can be so unpredictable that it plays into his hands. If you’re the same all the time, he’s got such a good eye, he hits it where he wants. You need to mix it up with a slower ball, a high bouncer, or a fast yorker,” Wood said.

Both Rohit and Kohli have hung up their boots from Tests and T20Is, focusing solely on ODIs. Pant remains a key figure in the Indian Test team. Wood’s assessment shows how each of them has left a lasting impression on one of the fastest bowlers in the game.