England fast bowler Mark Wood has replaced legendary bowler James Anderson in the team’s starting XI for the ongoing second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.

Wood took on the big role after Anderson retired from international cricket following England’s emphatic innings-and-114-run victory in the opening three-match Test series at Lord’s last week.

Mark Wood replaces James Anderson in England’s Test Arena squad

Wood, known for his pace and aggression, returns to the England cricket team in Test cricket after last appearing during their tour of India earlier this year. With 108 wickets in 34 Test matches under his belt, the 32-year-old brings experience and power to England’s bowling attack.

Alongside Wood, pace bowling duties will be shared by experienced pacer Chris Woakes and youngster Gus Atkinson, who made a remarkable debut in white, taking 12 wickets in the Lord’s Test against the West Indies to finish the match in three days.

Well, Anderson was one of the greatest pace players of all time so replacing the legendary seam player won’t be possible but Wood’s ability to generate pace and cause problems for batsmen with his variations will be crucial for England to bounce back in Test cricket.

After taking on the big role, Wood said it was really great to have Anderson in the squad and receive some valuable advice as the legendary player will remain with the Test team over the home summer as a mentor after ending his international career.

Wook, who expressed his admiration for Anderson’s presence on the team, acknowledged that fulfilling his role on the field is a significant challenge. He also made it clear that people should not expect him to play like Anderson, saying that he will bring his own approach and his own strengths to the game.

People shouldn’t expect him to play like James Anderson: Mark Wood

Mark Wood told Sky Sports Cricket: “It’s fantastic to have Jimmy still in the team and pass on his knowledge. It creates a big void in the team. I hope people don’t expect him to bowl like Anderson, that’s not going to happen.”

Reflecting on his recent workload, Wood noted that he was not able to bowl many overs at the recent 2024 T20 World Cup, so he is fit and fresh and ready for the home summer. However, Wood stressed the importance of being on the field and experiencing match conditions first-hand.

Wood concluded by saying: “After the T20 World Cup, I don’t feel like I’ve bowled many overs. I feel fresh, I’m not coming back from an injury or anything, so I’m ready to go. I’ve been trying to improve during training sessions and doing a lot of running around behind the scenes. There’s nothing like being on the field though.”

Specifically, talking about the second Test between England and West Indies, the hosts are batting on 160 (at the time of writing), with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Joe Root getting away with 0, 71 and 14 respectively.