Trying my best to prove that I can mix it in IPL with best players: Mark Wood

LUCKNOW: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pacer Mark Wood is looking forward to proving that he is a fine player to play with and against the best players in the world in the Indian Premier League (IPL), five years after a harrowing first tournament experience.

Wood, who has taken eight wickets so far in his first two matches for the Lucknow Super Giants team, arrived in India with just one IPL season under his belt. In his debut IPL season, he bowled four wicketless overs for his then team Chennai Super Kings and conceded 49 runs back in 2018.

He was acquired by Super Giants for INR 7.5 crore in the 2022 auction and was then retained for 2023.

“I don’t think I was really prepared for CSK at that time. I’d just come off the back of a Test match tour [in New Zealand] and I hadn’t prepared well. That was my own fault, really; I went into that game a bit underprepared and didn’t do myself justice,” Wood told reporters in Lucknow.

“Coming back to the IPL, England have had such a big schedule, I’ve had injuries, time with my family – I’ve tried to factor all that in and it’s just never been a good time to come back. I would have come back last year but unfortunately, I had elbow surgery,” he added.

“I’m here this year and trying my best to contribute for Lucknow, trying to repay the faith that they’ve shown in me, sticking by me and picking me again. So far I’ve absolutely loved it: KL Rahul has been brilliant with me. The management have been excellent, keeping my role clear, what they expect… hopefully I can repay the faith that they’ve shown in me,” Wood added.

Talking about what his aims were for IPL 2023, Wood said: “To try and prove a point, or to try and prove that I’m up to this standard. The last time I was at Chennai, I was nowhere near the mark really, was I? I played one match and I got smashed.”

“I felt like I had a bit of unfinished business, I guess, in terms of trying to come here and prove myself on a big stage. I’ve played for England in World Cup finals – both 50-over and T20 – but I hadn’t cracked the IPL, so this time, I’m trying my best to prove that I can mix it in the IPL with the best players,” Wood said.

In his debut match for LSG, Wood bagged four wickets for 14 against Delhi Capitals (DC) and in their second match 3 for 49 in Monday night’s defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

He admitted that he was hesitant to wear it during the Super Giants’ second game, but eventually caved into team manager Avinash ‘George’ Vaidya.

“Our manager, George, was desperate for me to wear the Purple Cap in the last game, but I was a little bit apprehensive to put it on. It’s not really in my character to put it on and be a bit showy. It was only one game!” Wood said.

“If it was halfway through the tournament and I was at the top then maybe, but I was a little bit reluctant to put it on, to be honest. I felt a bit embarrassed, in a way, to wear it. The cap was a little bit tight when I put it on, it was giving me a bit of bother – but George managed to convince me to put it on,” he added.

Lucknow Super Giants will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next match on Friday at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.