An uncharacteristically quiet series from Steve Smith doesn't mean anything in the mind of express pacer Mark Wood, given England's inability to win this summer.
Smith earned man-of-the-series honors in the 2017-18 and 2019 Ashes, demoralizing England as they compiled a combined total of 1461 runs.
The former captain has scored 217 runs in his last six Test innings at an average of 36.2.
"We are getting battered. If he was getting out and we were winning it would be a moral victory," Wood said on the eve of the fifth Test.
"We're still not getting them out.
“He may not have scored a century but scoring 90, 50, 60 or 70 is important in the game.
"He is still contributing to his team's victory.
"At the moment we are not winning, so it is important that we change that."
Wood has been England's most influential bowler on this tour, having recently hit Marnus Labuschagne.
Wood has dismissed Labuschagne three times in 22 balls, taking the lead at every opportunity since the right-handed batsman became the world's No. 1 Test batsman.
"Marnus is one hell of a player, so I'm happy to bring out top players like him," Wood said of the series' leading run-scorer.
"He is someone we know for sure that we need to try to capitalize on the first 20 balls of his innings to really put him under pressure.
"Because if he gets in, he does a lot of damage."
England are yet to decide whether Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, who suffered side and thumb injuries respectively, will play the series finale in Hobart.
Wood urged Stokes and Bairstow to make the right decisions in the team, acknowledging that they did not always do so early in their careers plagued by injury.
"They are in good spirits," Wood said.
"They are two characters who don't give up easily.
"We'll just have to see.
"I'm sure they won't want to go into the sport unless they are certain they can provide what they want.
"I myself have been where you have played and you are not doing yourself or the team justice."