'Hits it wherever he wants': England pacer reveals formula to dismissing Rishabh Pant

England pacer Mark Wood has shed light on the challenge of bowling to India’s Rishabh Pant, admitting that the left-hander’s fearless style leaves bowlers with little room for error. Pant, known for his unpredictability and audacious hitting, has built a reputation for turning matches with his ability to attack even the best of bowlers.

Wood, who has faced him in the past, said patience and control are the key to finding success against him.

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“I think you've got to hold your nerve. That's basically what I would say, because I think you have to be so unpredictable that it plays into his hands. He can just stand there and wait for anything difficult. But if you're the same all the time, then he's got such a good eye, he sort of hits it where he wants. So I think you've got to have a mixture of holding your nerve with maybe the odd ball that's a bit unpredictable — whether it's a slower ball, or you might change up with a really high bouncer, or something slightly different,” Wood explained. The 35-year-old, who has been sidelined for six months with a knee injury suffered at the Champions Trophy, has not played a Test in over a year but remains central to England’s Ashes plans later this year. While discussing difficult opponents, Wood also named Rohit Sharma as the toughest batter he has bowled to. “Rohit Sharma was 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,” he said.

On Virat Kohli, Wood remarked: “Kohli, of course, unbelievable competitor. He seemed to have this weakness of fourth, fifth stump. He never seemed to miss when I bowled him there,” he added with a laugh. Both Rohit and Kohli announced their Test retirements earlier this year, shortly before England’s tour of India.