By Trisha Ghosal in London
After watching from the sidelines for four matches, Gus Atkinson finally played his first Test at The Oval and it was a homecoming that mattered. “Obviously disappointing to miss the first four games, but to come back for this last one, especially at my home ground, it’s nice,” he said. “A special occasion, and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Two wickets and a run-out, a good day’s work
Atkinson impressed with the ball, picking up two wickets and running out Shubman Gill with a direct hit. “Yeah, I felt like I bowled well and challenged the batters,” he said. “Maybe I could’ve bowled at the stumps a bit more, but on a bouncy ground like this, it’s not easy.”
“Felt pressure to hit — thankfully, I did!”
The run-out was arguably the moment of the day. “I felt pressure to hit because I knew he’d be out if I did. Thankfully, I hit!”
On Woakes injury: “Doesn’t look great”
Chris Woakes’ injury cast a shadow over England’s otherwise strong showing. “I don’t know too much about it, but it doesn’t look great. He’s put a lot into the series, and it’s a real shame. Hopefully it’s not serious.”
“I’ll push my limits” if needed
Should Woakes miss the rest of the game, Atkinson is ready to shoulder the load. “I feel fresh and ready. I know this is my only game, so I can push my limits a bit.”
Target? “Keep them to 230-240”
As for the pitch, he believes early wickets are key. “If we can strike early, 230-240 would be a good result.”
Injury frustration behind him now
Reflecting on the muscle injury sustained in Zimbabwe, he said, “It was frustrating, but I feel good now. Fully ready.”
Tough ground, tough rhythm
“The ball moves after pitching, and the footholds were slippy,” he explained. “That can affect your rhythm, but we got some big wickets.”
Handling pressure: “Bit of both”
Was it physical or mental? “A bit of both. You need reassurance sometimes, but you’ve also got to manage it yourself. I think I handled it well.”
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