We’ve said naive things, but we do care – Wood

Pace bowler Mark Wood admits that the England team do not help themselves by making “dumb” comments in the media, but that an external “golf, golf, golf” narrative about them is irritating.

Several English players have openly acknowledged their love of golf, leading to accusations that they do not train enough, particularly from former world champion Kevin Pietersen, during their earlier this year white-ball tour of India.

Some squad members’ press statements have not helped the perception, which led to managing director Rob Key saying in March that they need to “stop talking rubbish.”

Wood said, “Sometimes we’ve been so, how can I say this, if I’m being honest? “When I’m on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, I’m.” Naive, a little dumb when what we say in the press.

We’ll use the phrase “We’ll say things in the dressing room,” which is also used. It ought to remain there. Then we appear in the press and say an off-the-cuff one-liner that a group of young people have been discussing, and then it appears as though we are Billy Big Boots above our station. That’s not something I like very much. We must show respect.

When England lost a T20 series 4-1 and the one-day internationals 3-0 on a tour of India, Pietersen made comments about training. He said, “I stand by every word.

Wood said, “One thing that bothers me is this narrative of golf, golf, golf,” without specifically referring to Pietersen.

I don’t play golf, I promise. It’s not my style. For me, it’s not a game. The boys’ time off is being enjoyed by them, I am sure. Sometimes it seems like golf is more important, but that is completely false.

We train hard, especially under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, and I cannot stress this enough.

The fact that we play for England is not taken for granted by the young players. I understand how frustrated some people are with the narrative that “oh, well, we’ll play golf, this is the best gig in the world,” but I’m telling you, people work hard and care deeply.

I want to win for England, I say. This narrative that doesn’t matter to me makes me uncomfortable. When we are beat, it hurts. We can definitely improve the team’s quotes, because they don’t convey how people are actually feeling.

Due to knee surgery in March, Wood will miss the first portion of the summer. The Durham man, who was initially ruled out for four months, said he still has a chance to participate in the Test series against India, which wraps up at the end of July.

I’d like to try to play a few games for Durham in July, and then put myself forward for the England stuff, he said.

There are bumps in a rehab road, as they say. If I can get my body in a good shape by the end of that India series, I’ll still want to take a test or two. That’s a long way off at the moment to provide a definitive response.