Wood gutted to be ruled out for the remainder of the Ashes with Matthew Fisher called up to the side in his stead.
Wood gutted as he is out of the remainder of the Ashes, Fisher named replacement.
Due to a recurrence of the left-knee injury he suffered during the first Test in Perth, Mark Wood will miss the rest of the Ashes series. He has been replaced by Matthew Fisher.
Fisher is a six-foot-two seamer with a high release point; his only Test match to date was against the West Indies in 2022. He is now in Australia with the England Lions, and this week he will join the senior squad. On December 17, the third Test will begin in Adelaide.
Wood, who turns 36 in January, acknowledged that age was catching up with him even though he was hoped to play in the next two Test matches in Sydney and Melbourne.
“Wood will return home later this week and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery,” an ECB statement said.
“Gutted to be out the remainder of the Ashes,” Wood wrote in an Instagram post. “After extensive surgery and seven long, hard months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn’t held up. None of us expected this. I came here with high expectations about making a big impact. I’m desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment, it has become clear that the flare-up in my knee is worse than feared.
“I’m really sorry that it has left me unable to perform as expected but it is not for want of trying. Whatever happens, I will continue to push the limits to get back again. It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go. I still believe we can turn things around. Never give in. Come on, England.”