Bat felt wider: England pacer recalls battles against Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

England’s express pacer Mark Wood has had some tough battles against India during his career. Revered as one of the quickest bowlers of the modern era, the 35-year-old recently reflected on what makes Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant such difficult opponents to bowl against.

Speaking on the Overlap Podcast, Wood shared his insights into the challenges posed by the Indian trio. On Rohit Sharma, he explained that the Indian captain’s ability to dominate the short ball made him a unique challenge.

“Yeah, in different stages of my career, I would say Rohit Sharma. Difficult because against the short ball, you feel like you’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,” Wood recalled.

Turning his attention to Virat Kohli, Wood admitted that the batting great’s competitive nature made him stand out, even if bowlers often targeted his line outside off stump.

“Kohli, obviously. Unbelievable competitor, someone that I felt you have this weakness of fourth, fifth stump, drag him in. We seem to never miss him when I bowl him there. So, that was difficult,” he said.

When speaking about Rishabh Pant, Wood highlighted the wicketkeeper-batter’s unpredictability and fearlessness as his biggest weapons. Pant, he explained, thrives by unsettling bowlers with his aggressive stroke play.

“I think you’ve got to hold your nerve. That’s basically what I would say. He can be so unpredictable that it plays into his hands. If you’re the same all the time, he’s got such a good eye, he hits it where he wants. You need to mix it up with a slower ball, a high bouncer, or a fast yorker,” Wood said.

Both Rohit and Kohli have retired from Tests and T20Is, focusing solely on ODIs, while Pant remains a cornerstone of India’s Test side. Wood’s reflections underline how each of them, in their own way, has left a lasting impression on one of the fastest bowlers in the game.