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Chris Woakes believes home advantage stacks the odds in India\u2019s favour at the World Cup but insists his England side are motivated to \u201cknock them off their perch\u201d.<\/p>\n
The last three editions of the tournament have all gone the way of the host nations, with India lifting their last global title in Mumbai in 2011, followed by Australia in Melbourne in 2015 and England at Lord\u2019s four years ago.<\/p>\n
India have done little to reduce their status as pre-competition favourites, kicking off their campaign with heavy wins over Afghanistan and Australia, while Asian rivals Pakistan also have two wins from two.<\/p>\n
But Woakes, who was part of Eoin Morgan\u2019s triumphant team in 2019 and is looking for a repeat performance, is not overawed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an incredibly tough challenge to win in India. Naturally, I think the sub-continental teams will feel more at home with the conditions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes it extremely hard for us to knock them off their perch, so to speak. But we\u2019ve got the squad and the players to be able to compete. People have looked at us for a while and we\u2019ve had a little bit of a target on our back as a white-ball team, around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a tough competition to win isn\u2019t it? Especially here. But we\u2019ll give it a good crack. We\u2019re taking it each game as it comes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaturally, people have got expectations of us and we\u2019ve certainly got our own expectations of ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
England\u2019s defence is back on track after they followed an opening defeat to New Zealand with a 137-run success over Bangladesh, with their shifting fortunes exemplified by Woakes\u2019 own figures.<\/p>\n
The 34-year-old was off the pace against the Black Caps, leaking 45 runs in six wicketless overs, but warmed to his work on Tuesday night, opening his account with the wickets of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tigers top-scorer Liton Das.<\/p>\n
Unfancied Afghanistan are next, in Delhi on Sunday, with Woakes eager to continue his upward trajectory.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the start of a long tournament,\u201d he said. \u201cI certainly feel that I would\u2019ve liked to have bowled a little bit better but they are long competitions and you don\u2019t want to peak too soon, I suppose.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have built into tournaments in the past and into series, which I suppose holds me in good stead moving forward. But you contribute every time you go out in the field so I\u2019ll be working hard in practice to try and make sure that I\u2019m on the money when I get the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Woakes also had his say on the news that cricket was on the cusp of making its return to the Olympic Games, having last appeared as a one-game showcase in 1900.<\/p>\n
The Warwickshire all-rounder does not expect to be around for Los Angeles 2028, but is enthusiastic about the sport moving onto a new stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be playing at that age, but I think it would be great,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting the game in front of more people is what we need to do. For a sport that I\u2019ve played since I was a child, to be a part of the Olympics would be amazing for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be sat at home watching the lads taking on the rest of the world as an Olympic sport would be massive for the game. The more people that we can get watching it and maybe looking to take it up the better, and growing the game around the world is hugely important.\u201d<\/p>\n