Sheer pace with some movement rattled Australia at Headingley as Mark Wood had an impact in his first Test appearance in seven-and-a-half months.

With a match haul of seven wickets, including a fifer on Day 1, Wood also showed England what they had missed in the first two Tests of the ongoing Ashes. And not just with the ball, he also used the long handle well for a few meaty blows which benefited England in both innings of the Test.

Wood missed Test cricket for a good part of 2022 because of an elbow injury. The 33-year-old quick has returned fresher to spit fire.

Alongside his performance, what also stands out is Wood’s work ethic, which has been key to his progress.

“To be an express fast bowler, you have to put your body through hell and back. Mark has done that and has come back over and over again, never wanting to cut down his pace and take an easy option,” Ryan Campbell, head coach of Wood’s county team Durham, told The Telegraph.

“Wood is very regular at gyms, punctual at training sessions with the bowling coach and physical trainer. His personality is very pleasing and he isn’t a grumpy fast bowler,” Gautam Gambhir, mentor of Wood’s IPL team Lucknow Super Giants, pointed out.

“He’s not only working on his game but also helping out the other young quicks in marking their run-ups and other aspects of fast bowling like action, load-up and things like that. He’s quite willing to share his knowledge with the young players in the LSG group.”

One marked change in Wood’s bowling in Leeds was the variation in his lengths, as he ensured not to over-use the short-pitched stuff. “The Headingley wicket suited his pace perfectly, while his length was excellent and he didn’t just bowl halfway down,” Campbell, who played two ODIs and three T20Is for Australia, acknowledged.

“The other thing that helped, and this is without any disrespect to the other English bowlers, the Aussies faced medium pace in the previous Tests and suddenly they were facing mid-90 miles an hour…” Campbell added.

India challenge

On flat pitches in Pakistan, Wood took eight wickets in two Tests, including one four-for. What are the adjustments he needs to make on the spin-friendly Indian tracks when England visit here next January?

“Nothing much needs to change,” feels Gambhir. “In India, the SG balls are in use, which always have better seam compared to the Kookaburra. They are quite similar to Dukes.

“Now, when you have pace, it makes no difference as to whether the pitch is fast or slow because you’re quicker through the air. Secondly, there will be reverse swing in India with the old ball, which can make Wood lethal.

“The surfaces here are usually abrasive and reverse swing sometimes starts as early as in the 20th or 25th over. So in that sense, Wood can be a complete package,” Gambhir explained.

Campbell too believes reverse swing will make Wood a good “weapon” for England in India.

“All the data tells us that reverse swing is at its deadliest when the bowler is over 90 miles an hour and Wood is certainly that. Look out India!”