Tue Jan 28 15:00:00 UTC 2025: ## England Bowlers Told to Prioritize Wickets, Not Economy, Against Aggressive India
**Rajkot, India –** England’s bowling attack has been instructed to focus on taking wickets rather than containing runs against India’s aggressive batting lineup in the ongoing T20I series, according to pacer Mark Wood. India currently leads the five-match series 2-0.
Speaking ahead of the crucial third T20I in Rajkot, Wood revealed that coach Brendon McCullum’s strategy emphasizes impacting the game through wickets, even if it means conceding runs. This approach comes after Jofra Archer conceded 60 runs in four overs in the previous match, where Tilak Varma particularly excelled.
While acknowledging some costly overs, Wood defended the team’s overall bowling performance, highlighting their attempts to bowl India out despite the relatively low target of 167 runs. He praised the team’s collective effort and emphasized the importance of spinner Adil Rashid, describing him as a “huge weapon.”
Wood also addressed his own performance after a long break from international cricket, expressing satisfaction with his pace but a desire for improved accuracy. He attributed some inconsistencies to his lack of recent match play.
The England pacer acknowledged the impressive performances of India’s young batsmen, including Varma and Abhishek Sharma, but stressed that his focus remains solely on England’s strategy. The high-scoring Rajkot pitch is expected to favor batsmen, setting the stage for another thrilling encounter.
First Piper 