Atkinson claimed 20 wickets in five County Championship matches last summer at an average of 20.20 as Surrey claimed back-to-back titles. His genuine raw pace has meant that England have included him on the tour of India, starting in Hyderabad on January 25, alongside James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really good. Now I\u2019m looking forward to playing under Ben Stokes and Baz McCullum. The way the Test team have been playing suits my game perfectly. I\u2019m very excited about what lies ahead. India and the Ashes are the two tours you most want to go on and it would be incredible to win over the next few weeks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMaybe it was a confidence thing when I wasn\u2019t playing regular cricket but I think my pace comes naturally. I\u2019m definitely giving my all and feel like I get a lot of pace from the last few steps of my run up. Then I have a whippy arm. I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m putting loads of force on my body now,\u201d said Atkinson to Daily Mail, before heading to Abu Dhabi for England\u2019s pre-tour camp.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He made a mention of how his current county club Surrey made him believe that he had it in him to play for England in all formats. \u2018Surrey have been very good to me. They saw in me what I didn\u2019t early on. Alec Stewart says he remembers the first time he saw me bowling before I signed and that I had something about me and could get real pace off the wicket.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPeople at the club would tell me they wanted me to go all the way, to play in all formats and be picked by England. I\u2019d say, \u2018Well yes, obviously I want to, that\u2019s my dream. Maybe it will happen one day.\u2019 But for it all to happen now is not something I would have expected 12 months ago.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In first-class cricket, Atkinson has picked up 45 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 26.64. Atkinson also recalled how his mother Caroline, who died in a car crash in 2020, encouraged him to play cricket, including reaching out to his county club Surrey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy mum pushed me forward almost behind my back. She\u2019d get in touch with Surrey and make sure I was still in the loop when perhaps I might have been falling behind the others.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Once she passed away my career could have gone one or two ways and I wanted to take it in the direction she would have wanted. And that I wanted as well. So to be in this position is very special.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2024\/01\/the-way-england-play-tests-suits-my-game-perfectly-says-gus-atkinson-ahead-of-india-tour.jpg", "alt_img": "The way England play Tests suits my game perfectly, says Gus Atkinson ahead of India tour", "alt_title": "'I've always known my ability and what I can do', says Gus Atkinson after four-wicket haul on T20I d", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "The Way England Play Tests Suits My Game Perfectly, Says Gus Atkinson Ahead Of India Tour On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "The Way England Play Tests Suits My Game Perfectly, Says Gus Atkinson Ahead Of India Tour, Gus Atkinson: Ahead of an important five-match Test tour of India, England fast-bowler Gus Atkinson believes the way the current.", "seo_keywords": "Gus Atkinson, New Delhi, County Championship, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Ben Stokes, Baz McCullum, Daily Mail, Abu Dhabi, Alec Stewart", "tag": "", "tagging": "Gus Atkinson, New Delhi, County Championship, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Ben Stokes, Baz McCullum, Daily Mail, Abu Dhabi, Alec Stewart", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "the-way-england-play-tests-suits-my-game-perfectly-says-gus-atkinson-ahead-of-india-tour", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "689", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2024-01-13 13:40:04", "updated": "2024-01-13 13:40:04", "img_from": "Image Source: IANS", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "Gus Atkinson, New Delhi, County Championship, James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Ben Stokes, Baz McCullum, Daily Mail, Abu Dhabi, Alec Stewart", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "1", "google_feed": "1", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "23", "jio_date": "2024-01-13 13:40:04", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/the-way-england-play-tests-suits-my-game-perfectly-says-gus-atkinson-ahead-of-india-tour-135971" }