Mark Wood could manage only one appearance under his cap for CSK
England pacer Mark Wood has revealed that he wasn’t ‘really prepared’ when he made his debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2018. The 33-year-old however will be hoping to prove that he is good enough to play with and against the best players in the world at the IPL this time around.
Wood, one of the quickest bowlers in England, was in the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) roster for IPL 2018 but could manage only one appearance under his cap. He made his debut against Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener but went wicketless and costed 49 runs from his quota of four overs.
Five years after a chastening first experience in the tournament, Wood, has taken eight wickets in his first two matches for Lucknow Super Giants after arriving in India for the 2023 season with a solitary IPL appearance to his name.
Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Wood said, “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.”
Mark Wood delivers the goods for LSG in IPL 2023; in the race for Purple Cap
He was signed by Super Giants for INR 7.5 crore (£750,000 approx.) in the 2022 auction and was then retained for 2023 after missing last season due to an elbow injury which also ruled him out of England’s home international summer.
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Wood gave a sheer testament of his prowess as he took 5 for 14 on debut against Delhi Capitals, then 3 for 49 in Monday night’s defeat to Super Kings, making him the early pace-setter in the race for the Purple Cap. He is currently the top wicket-taker in the league with eight wickets from two games.
Interestingly, Wood also revealed that he was reluctant to wear it during Super Giants’ second game but eventually gave in to the request of team manager Avinash George’ Vaidya.
