England fast bowler Mark Wood has named India stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli amongst the toughest he’s faced off against. Wood has a reputation for being notoriously quick but found it tough against India’s ace batters. The 35-year-old also picked Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh, the Australian duo he is likely to face off against in the Ashes later this year.
‘Felt his bat was getting wider’ Mark Wood heaps praise on Rohit Sharma
England fast bowler Mark Wood has lavished praise on India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma. Wood named the 38-year-old among the toughest he had bowled against. The 35-year-old has come up against the Indian ace across formats, but found him difficult to face against.
“In different stages of my career, I would say Rohit Sharma. Difficult because against the short ball, you feel like you, for myself, I’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!” Mark Wood said on The Overlap Cricket channel.
Alongside Rohit, Wood suggested Virat Kohli was also a tough nut to crack. While Kohli had a weakness outside his off stump later in his career, the England pacer could never exploit that chink in his armour.
“Kohli, obviously. Unbelievable competitor, someone that I felt you have this weakness of fourth, fifth stump drag him in. But he never seemed to miss one when I bowl him there,” he added.
Australian duo Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh were the two he found toughest against Australia. Smith has enjoyed a stellar record against England, while Marsh smashed a test ton at Manchester in the previous Ashes.
“Smith, because he’s so unorthodox, you think you can get him LBW, but he doesn’t miss it… And Marsh,” he added.
