Mark Wood to miss the Brisbane day-night Test as part of load management after a long road back from knee injury.
Wood set to miss second Test after long road back from injury.
In an effort to protect their valuable fast bowler for the rest of the Ashes, Mark Wood is expected to miss the second Test in Brisbane.
After recovering from knee surgery in March to treat medial ligament damage, Wood made his first competitive appearance in over nine months as a member of an all-pace attack in the first Test at Perth. Additionally, it was his first Test cap since the August 2024 match at Old Trafford against Sri Lanka.
It makes sense that England is cautious about Wood. He is the world’s quickest bowler when he is at his peak. However, given his history of injuries, especially current issues with his left knee that necessitate intensive strapping, and the fact that he turns 36 in January, they must continuously keep an eye on his condition.
Wood acknowledged he would “definitely not play five” in an interview with Fox Cricket during the first Test in Perth.
Before the first Test, Wood was doubtful since he had complained of soreness in his left hamstring the previous week at Lilac Hill after bowling eight overs in the warm-up match against the England Lions, including two four-over breaks. He later demonstrated his fitness in the nets at Perth Stadium. On the first day, he bowled quickly, hitting Cameron Green in the grille with a vicious 93 mph/150 kph bouncer.
Wood bowled just 11 overs in all, returning 0 for 44, and England’s defeat in Perth was so quick that the match lasted only two days. Australia reached their target of 205 in 28.2 overs because to Travis Head’s spectacular century, three of which came in the second innings.
It seems like Wood is being held back as the visitors try to recover from a 1-0 deficit, as evidenced by his absence from England’s first training session at Allan Border Field on Saturday prior to Thursday’s pink-ball Test. Wood might be back in the running for the third Test in Adelaide, which starts in eighteen days, if there are no issues.
During the 2021–22 trip, Wood was England’s best bowler (17 wickets at 26.64), and he claimed nine wickets in the final Test at Hobart, which was England’s final pink-ball game in Australia. Josh Tongue is most likely to take his place, although he will be parked this week.
As a member of the Lions team playing the good Minister’s XI in a two-day pink-ball match in Canberra this weekend, Tongue is in a good position to make his case. Tongue is one of three Ashes players who have been released to play in the game, along with Jacob Bethell and Matthew Potts.