MARK WOOD is relishing a return to the home of cricket this week, swopping India for Lord’s.

The Durham pacemen will be part of the England attack for the Test series with Pakistan, starting on Thursday.

A stint in the IPL with Chennai Super Kings was cut short in the hope of regaining his Test place. One game, when he took 0-49 from his four overs, and he was on the sidelines.

A call from ECB chief Andrew Strauss was the encouragement he needed to get back to the North-East. One game for Durham, when he recorded a career-best 6-46, at Derbyshire last week and he was back in the squad.

“I think the decision to come home from India has paid off, I wasn’t sure if the decision was the right one at the time,’’ he reflected.

“I was contracted with Chennai and the team was doing really well and I could have potentially played out there later in the tournament, but my goal is to play for England.

“Now that I’ve come back I’ve got a few wickets under my belt, played for Durham and been back home after seven months away it seems like it was the right decision.’’

He added: "I would have liked to have played more. It was hard going travelling every day and not playing.

“I was the only member of the England side who hadn't been home for about seven months so that side was hard. I got why I wasn't playing. I didn't really set the world alight in my first game.

“I'm disappointed that I didn't get to prove myself in the IPL. To have one game and not do well leaves a bit of a sour taste. I'd like to go back and have another crack at it and prove myself at that standard."

Wood’s first innings efforts in a Durham shirt last week didn’t go well, taking 1-91. But he regained his flow and was soon back in form.

He admitted: “I didn’t actually bowl that well at Derby last week, I bowled a bad ball every over, but in the second innings I got my rhythm back, and felt a lot better the more I bowled. Second innings it was slower, flatter and reversed a little bit which brought me back into the game and I was able to bowl a little more aggressively.

“I enjoyed being back for Durham. We were close to victory at the end, but we were pushing and pushing and it could have ended in an almost 20-20 chase for them.

“I’ve played T20, four-day, and then Test match cricket in a short space of time – and I wouldn’t have it any other way to be honest.

“It was nice to get some overs under my belt – almost 60 overs in a County Championship game and it’s not very often I’ve managed to do that for Durham.’’

England have a two game series with Pakistan, with the second Test at Headingley starting on June 1. After being left out the squad for the Ashes series, instead he was in Australia with the A team, Wood is relishing a fresh start with England under new chairman of selectors Ed Wood.

“I made my debut for England at Lord’s and I’m looking forward to fresh summer with England,’’ he said. “It’s been different after a long winter and we have copped a fair amount of stick, so the one-day side are number one in the world and that’s going well and now it’s up to the Test side to drag ourselves back to the top of the rankings again.’’