Mark Wood Ruled Out of Ashes Tour Due to Injury
England’s fast bowler Mark Wood will not participate further in the ongoing Ashes tour and is scheduled to return home from Australia this weekend. England confirmed the news on Tuesday, marking a significant setback for the team.
Wood, 35, had recently returned to action in the first Test in Perth following an eight-month recovery period after surgery. However, a recurrence of an issue with his left knee has forced his withdrawal, causing him to miss the second match in Brisbane.
An official England statement indicated, “Wood will return home later this week and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery”.
Wood himself expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, “After extensive surgery and months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn’t held up.” SindhNews.com has been following his recovery closely.
Impact of Mark Wood’s Absence from Ashes
The absence of Mark Wood will be a considerable blow to England, who are currently trailing 2-0 in the five-match series. His withdrawal means Matthew Fisher, 28, who has one Test cap, will replace him in the squad. Fisher was already with the second-string England Lions in Australia.
“None of us expected this,” commented Wood. “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.” This marks a challenging period in his injury-plagued career.
Other Bowling Concerns Emerge
Adding to the injury woes, Australia’s pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood has also been ruled out for the entire Ashes series. He missed the initial two Tests with hamstring and Achilles issues.
Coach Andrew McDonald revealed Hazlewood faced difficulties in his recovery. “We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. But really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity,” McDonald told reporters. Hazlewood is now targeting fitness for the T20 World Cup.