England paceman Mark Wood set for four-month injury lay-off after knee surgery
The Durham player will miss a large part of the English season.
Mark Wood is set to miss England’s marquee Test series against India this summer after undergoing knee surgery.
The 35-year-old Durham paceman has endured a long list of fitness problems over the course of his career and sustained his latest setback during last month’s miserable Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan.
Freshly back on duty after a long lay-off with a stress injury in his elbow, he pulled up sore during his side’s defeat to Afghanistan.
He returned to the field after treatment to bowl another spell despite being in visible discomfort, raising concerns that he had aggravated an issue that the England and Wales Cricket Board says has been present for “over a year”.
A specialist consultation, followed by the eighth operation of his career, has now shown ligament damage in his left knee serious enough to put him back on the shelf for a minimum of four months.
He is targeting a return by the end of July, but with the final game of England’s five-match series against India starting at the Kia Oval on July 31, he stands hardly any chance of being involved.
Wood will also miss six white-ball games against West Indies and a one-off Test versus Zimbabwe in May.
“I’m gutted to be out for so long after representing England across all formats since the start of last year,” said Wood, who posted a picture on Instagram from his hospital bed.
“I’ve got every confidence that I’ll be back firing on all cylinders now that I’ve been able to sort my knee out.
“I want to thank the surgeon, the doctors, staff, my England team-mates and coaches for their support – and, of course, our fans. I can’t wait to get back and contribute to what is going to be a huge 2025 for us as a team.”
Wood’s ability to hit express speeds of up to 97mph mark him out as an irreplaceable asset in a year that England will be fighting on multiple fronts – including resetting their ailing limited-overs side, taking down India and regaining the Ashes Down Under.
With the latter challenge now the most likely target for Wood, questions could arise over whether his talents are best utilised as a Test specialist.
Injury issues among the quicks are hardly a new thing but with Brydon Carse also withdrawing from both the Champions Trophy and the forthcoming IPL due to toe problems and Jofra Archer being carefully managed after almost five years of repeated setbacks, England are on high alert over their pace attack.
Fans have long craved seeing Wood and Archer in tandem in the red-ball arena but the pair have managed only one Test together, against West Indies in 2020.
Hopes are high for Nottinghamshire’s Josh Tongue, another on the comeback trail after missing the entirety of last summer, while Leicestershire’s Josh Hull is also back in action after a quad complaint curtailed his winter.
