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England fast bowler Mark Wood has termed the Indian batting line-up as a world-class unit. He admitted that the hosts cannot afford to err if they are to do well in the final Test at Old Trafford.
Mark Wood featured in the Lord’s Test against India, during which he picked up a shoulder injury and hasn’t played in the series since. With England likely to rotate their bowlers, there is a fair chance of Wood coming back for the final Test.
Speaking to PTI, the 31-year-old conceded that the entire Indian batting line-up is top-class.
"I think it’s (India) a world-class batting lineup. You go throughout the whole line-up and you think, well, he's a great player, he is a good player. Rohit Sharma is being brilliant, he is tough to bowl at in any conditions," Mark Wood said.
Rohit and KL Rahul have both hit hundreds for India in the series so far. The success of the opening pair has been one of the key factors behind India being 2-1 up in the series.
"KL Rahul, I have been really impressed with him, he has left the bowl really well early on and played really solitary and when he gets in, he has played quite beautifully. The openers are two big wickets for us," added Mark Wood.
The England pacer, however, asserted England have plans in place to tackle India’s quality batters.
"Then you have got (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Virat) Kohli, I mean Kohli is one of the toughest players that I have bowled at in any format, so it is world class line-up, but if you don’t believe in yourself, if you don’t believe you can get them out then there is no point in playing."
The five-match India-England series has been a closely contested one, with India winning at Lord’s and The Oval and England taking the honors at Headingley.
"Hugely impressed with Mohammed Shami" - Mark Wood
Apart from India’s batters, Wood also praised the visitors’ bowling attack. He described India’s pacers as highly skilled.
"I think it (Indian pace attack) is highly skilled, it has got pace, they are all slightly different, with different angles, different actions. It is great to watch, I mean, it is not great to face as a batsman, but as an opposition player, you can get a huge respect.
"And (Mohammed) Shami, I have been hugely impressed with him throughout the series. His skill level, his accuracy and it has been tough for batsmen of both sides. It is a good bowling line-up but we recognize that we will have to combat as best we can," the England fast bowler said.
Mark Wood has featured in 21 Tests so far and has claimed 64 wickets at an average of 33.10.
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