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England will be without Mark Wood for the rest of the year during the Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand due to an elbow injury.
After playing brilliantly against the West Indies, Wood was ruled out of the second and third Tests of England’s series against Sri Lanka with a right thigh injury.
But while he was sidelined, an elbow problem arose. Wood struggled with elbow problems in 2022 and underwent two operations on the joint. He returned quicker than ever, playing at electric pace in last summer’s Ashes and three Tests this summer.
Since 2022, the joint has been monitored regularly and during a routine check-up, the problem became apparent. The injury is expected to rule the 34-year-old out of the Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, both of which last three matches, with the Champions Trophy in February a possible return date. The injury does not require surgery and he has been prescribed rest.
Taking to social media, Wood said: “Fake news. During what I thought was a routine check on a previously problematic elbow, I was shocked to learn that I had a bone strain in my right elbow. After the minor groin injury at Old Trafford, the medical team and I thought it was a good time to have my elbow looked at as it was a bit irritated. I would put it down to the normal niggles that any fast bowler encounters and that I experienced while playing.
“I’m particularly surprised because I play Test cricket and I keep a good pace. I work very hard on my fitness, I put in extra effort with the coaches and physiotherapists, which makes it even more disappointing. However, I guess that’s part of being a fast bowler, as Stokesy says.
“I will miss the rest of the year, I need time to rest and rebuild, I expect to be back and shooting early in 2025. I have been down this road before and I will put in all the effort behind the scenes. I am very proud to represent my country and there is no better feeling. See you for some rockets in 2025!”
A key part of England’s plans for next winter’s Ashes
Wood’s value to England is demonstrated by the three-year central contract they gave him last October, until the end of 2026. He was England’s best player on the last Ashes tour and is seen as a key weapon in England’s next trip to Australia in 14 months. Wood’s pace makes him a rare commodity in English cricket, and he has an excellent average of 28 away.
England do not have much choice in terms of pace for the tour of Pakistan. Jofra Archer will not play red-ball cricket until 2025, Josh Tongue missed the entire summer of Tests with a pectoral injury and is expected to play for the Lions this winter, while Chris Woakes has not played a Test outside England since March 2022.
Of the players who played in England’s last appearance in Pakistan, James Anderson has retired (and will be on tour in his role as a mentor to the fast bowlers) and Ollie Robinson has been sidelined. There are also doubts over Ben Stokes’ ability to play on tour as he recovers from a nasty hamstring tear.
Gus Atkinson, who has enjoyed a superb debut summer in Test cricket, could lead Pakistan’s seam attack, with support from the likes of Matt Potts, Olly Stone and even Josh Hull, who was drafted into the squad after Wood’s injury and made his debut at the Kia Oval. The likes of Brydon Carse, John Turner and Saqib Mahmood – all of whom are in white-ball squads this month – could also come into contention.
It is not yet entirely certain whether the tour will take place in Pakistan, as stadiums in Karachi and Rawalpindi are being renovated for the Champions Trophy. Rumours suggest that at least one Test could be moved to Abu Dhabi. England chief executive Rob Key said the venue for the tour had not yet been confirmed.
“We are not different [in being in the dark]”, Key told the BBC Test Match Special“We have our operational team, people waiting to book flights. I have heard about Sri Lanka and South Africa. I don’t think that’s the case personally. There are rumours going around.
“I think we will end up in Multan. It’s not a security issue. I think they are trying to prepare the ground for the Champions Trophy and they are not as far along as they think. I think we will be in Pakistan, but that’s just a guess.”
