Mark Wood has endured a frustrating time in the 2020 international summer. After playing the first Test against West Indies in Southampton, Wood was dropped for the next two Tests and did not get a chance either in the Test or T20I series against Pakistan that followed. However, the England pacer is not looking too demoralized as he plans to channel his frustration of not being picked for the series against West Indies and Pakistan as a tool to intimidate and bowl fast at the Australian team who have arrived in England for three ODIs and three T20Is.

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Wood acknowledged that it was hard to live in the bio-bubble and not get a chance to play. “You never want to be left out. It's not my style to shout and scream. Sometimes you don't get the answer you're looking for. He (Chris Silverwood) said he was happy with me but just that I didn't get selected. I think once you know you are not in the team, you are disappointed but you are very lucky to still be in a squad playing for England,” Wood said.

Desperate to beat

The England vs Australia rivalry is a marquee contest in cricket. In the last couple of years, England have held the wood over Australia in limited-overs cricket, whitewashing them 5-0 in the ODIs in 2018 as well as beating them in the one-off T20I. Despite a loss in the 2018 ICC World Cup clash at Lord’s, England had their revenge when they dumped Australia out of the World Cup semi-final. Wood says England are desperate to beat Australia and set down a marker for the 2021 Ashes.

“They are desperate to beat you, you're desperate to beat them. And it doesn't matter if it's the Ashes, white-ball, T20. Doesn't matter what it is, we'll be desperate to beat them. Without a doubt. It's always good when you play for England, don't get us wrong, but it is an extra incentive when you play Australia, when you play the biggest rivals,” Wood said.