England fast bowler Mark Wood says he’s not sure if he’ll be fit for the third Ashes Test because he’s still dealing with a knee injury.
The 35-year-old only returned in the first Test in Perth after nine months out following knee surgery, but he missed the second Test in Brisbane due to more issues with the same knee.
There is a week between the second and third Tests, but Wood said he thinks Adelaide is possible, though he believes it’s more likely he’ll be ready for the Melbourne or Sydney Tests instead. He also mentioned he needs to get out of his knee brace before he can move freely again.
Wood is one of England’s quickest bowlers but has had many injuries in his career. Before Perth, he hadn’t played a Test for 15 months because of elbow and knee problems.
He managed to return in a warm-up match, but tightness in his hamstring limited him to just eight overs. After scans showed no serious issue, he played in Perth and finished with figures of 0–44.
England had planned to use Wood’s high pace as a major weapon in the Ashes, and with five fast bowlers, they recorded their fastest-ever day of Test bowling as a group. But their speeds dropped on day two, and Australia won by eight wickets.
