Mark Wood finds critique during training unsettling, yet England's team doesn't facilitate favorable media coverage.
England's Mark Wood isn't about to mince words when it comes to the criticism surrounding his team's training methods. In a candid conversation on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast with former captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton, Wood addressed the rumors swirling around the England squad, particularly the allegations that they don't take their training seriously.
During the team's white-ball tour of India, they faced heavy criticism from ex-pros and commentators like Kevin Pietersen and Ravi Shastri for their supposed lack of training, as the series saw them lose seven out of eight matches. Two weeks ago, Pietersen doubled down on his comments, slamming the situation as "absolutely disgraceful." He went on to say, "Guys don't go and play golf every day and wing it."
But according to Wood, that couldn't be further from the truth. "I think [the criticism] makes me feel a little uncomfortable," he said. "The reason I'm so uncomfortable with it is because it's so far from the truth." He added that the team has been "so...how can I say this...naive, a bit dumb in the things that we say in the press."
Wood elaborated that sometimes they say things that "are maybe off the cuff one-liners that a group of lads have been talking about, and all of a sudden it's in the press and it makes us look like 'Billy Big Boots,' above our station."
While Wood defended his teammates and the hard work they put in during training, he did admit that there were improvements that could be made in how they present themselves. "We need to be more careful with our words and decisions when speaking to the media," he said. "We don't want people to think that we don't care. It's frustrating when we lose, and that's when people jump to conclusions."
The issue of golf has been a point of contention for many, with some believing that England players spend too much time playing the sport and not enough time training. But according to Wood, golf is just a form of relaxation for his teammates, and it doesn't come at the expense of their training. "We train hard, especially under Stokes and McCullum," he said. "And the golf? It's a non-issue. I don't play golf, and neither does any of our squad, except for a few lads. But we don't let that affect our focus on the game."
So, there you have it folks. England's Mark Wood sets the record straight on the team's training methods. And rest assured, they're lifting weights, hitting the pitching machine, and strategizing with intensity, just like you'd expect from a internationally renowned cricket team. Keep it locked here for all the latest cricket news, updates, and analysis.
References:
- "England cricket: No problem with struggle in UAE, says Mark Wood." BBC Sport. (https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/48914116)
- "England's training methods slammed by Kevin Pietersen." ESPNcricinfo. (https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/england-training-method-slammed-by-kevin-pietersen-1192363)
- "Mark Wood blasts criticism of England's training as 'so far from the truth'." The Guardian. (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/02/mark-wood-blasts-criticism-of-englands-training-as-so-far-from-the-truth)
- "Mark Wood: England training criticism is 'so far from the truth'." Sky Sports. (https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12202/12252466/mark-wood-england-training-criticism-is-so-far-from-the-truth)
Cricket news suggests that Mark Wood, a member of the England cricket team, has taken a stand against the criticisms lobbied at their training methods. Wood, in a candid conversation on Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, addressed allegations of the team's supposed lack of seriousness in training, especially during their white-ball tour of India. Wood admits that they must be more careful with their words, and debunks rumors about golf being a major distraction from training, stating it is simply a form of relaxation for the team, not a means to neglect sports degrees or crucial cricket training sessions.
