Wooden was not all that shocked. He was the one seamer within the assault, and bowled simply two overs in his opening stint on day one. It was a part of a broader plan concocted within the lead-up to the sequence to make use of the seamers as a level of distinction. Wooden’s further tempo and talent to reverse-swing the ball could be in bursts, with the spinners doing the majority of the work.
“After we have been on the floor, he stated in all probability one or two,” Wooden stated on his directions from Stokes. “I imply, I believed I’ll not even open the bowling second innings. But it surely was like ‘one over; that is it’.
“In order that was a bit bizarre. Particularly when the captain says you are going to bowl one over with the brand new ball and it was a bit like, proper, I will observe one over with the brand new ball.
“Very hardly ever would you suppose you’d bowl one over after which be off. However weirdly I belief what he says. One over? Proper, okay, I will give it every thing for this over. After which he stated ‘relaxation’ and I am not aggravated. Like, I get it, we will spin now. So it is simply a bit totally different.”
However, Wooden loved the lone position, even when he missed the corporate of one other seamer. And general, he regarded it as a success given the larger image.
“Bumrah did not do me any favours by bowling like a genius,” Wooden stated. “That was robust!
“It was a bit odd, a bit bizarre at instances. Often at factors in the course of the sport I might suppose ‘I would bowl right here’ however the spin is doing the harm.
“I stated to Jimmy [Anderson] that I discovered it weirder that I did not have anybody to speak to. I used to be type of working it out as I went alongside. Often if Jimmy is bowling a spell he can say to me ‘this labored nicely’, or ‘what about this?’ You’re speaking to the captain and not likely figuring out how it is going to go.
“It is like, sure, that ball reversed, let’s do that, in order that was in all probability the one factor that was totally different. I am disenchanted that I did not get any wickets however not likely fussed, as a result of the staff performed superb. One of many nice video games that I have been concerned in.”
“It may, yeah,” Wooden replied, when requested if India may change issues up. “I do not know what they’ll produce. India have gotten the potential to supply any wicket right here. I’ve performed in World Cup video games and IPL video games the place it is seamed, flat pitches, spinning wickets. They’ve the potential to do any wicket they need.
“We have received one sport, it is a hell of an achievement, however I do not suppose we have to get too far forward of ourselves. Do not construct this up now and say, “ah we will win”. It is the identical once more. Go into the subsequent sport with the identical perception, identical course of and hopefully get the identical outcome.”
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo
