The England cricket team has been dealt a crushing blow as fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes series due to a troublesome left knee injury, casting a shadow over their already daunting campaign in Australia. The 35-year-old, renowned for his blistering pace and relentless spirit, had only just returned to the Test arena after an arduous eight-month rehabilitation following knee surgery in March 2025. Yet, after bowling 11 wicketless overs in the series opener in Perth—where England fell to an eight-wicket defeat—Wood's knee flared up once more, forcing him to miss the second Test in Brisbane and ultimately to withdraw from the tour entirely.
Wood’s absence comes at a pivotal moment for England, who trail 2-0 in the five-match series and now face the uphill task of winning the third Test in Adelaide, starting December 17, to keep their Ashes hopes alive. The team’s bowling attack, already under scrutiny for its lack of penetration in the opening matches, will now have to soldier on without one of its most experienced and dynamic weapons.
"Gutted to be out the remainder of the Ashes. After extensive surgery and seven long, hard months of work and rehab to get back into the test arena, my knee just hasn’t held up," Wood shared on Instagram, his frustration and heartbreak palpable. "None of us expected this. 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."
Wood’s journey back to the England side had been nothing short of heroic. The Durham pacer missed 15 months of red-ball cricket due to a string of injuries—first an elbow issue, then the knee surgery that kept him sidelined for most of 2025. His return for the first Test in Perth was seen as a major boost for England’s Ashes ambitions, especially after his starring role in the 2023 home Ashes, where his raw pace and aggression helped spark a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to a drawn series. That summer, Wood finished as England’s leading wicket-taker, his spell at Headingley widely credited with changing the momentum of the contest.
But fate, it seems, had other ideas this time around. After sending down just 11 overs in Perth without reward, Wood was forced to sit out the second Test at the Gabba, which England again lost by eight wickets. Medical staff hoped rest and treatment would allow him to return, but further swelling and discomfort in his left knee left no option but to send him home to begin another round of rehabilitation.
"It is a huge blow to the team and the individual," former England captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports. "The team because you want all your bowlers available, especially going into the final three Tests that are one after another. We have had big gaps so far, but after the third Test, they come thick and fast. England may not have been able to go with Wood and Jofra Archer again, but if Archer needed a rest, Wood could have come in and that is not possible now."
Hussain's words echo the sentiments of many within the England camp. Wood is not just a fast bowler; he is a talismanic presence, a "likeable lad that gives it absolutely everything every time he plays for England." His popularity in the dressing room is matched only by his determination to overcome adversity, yet the repeated betrayals of his body have taken a toll. "He has come back from yet another injury after eight, nine months in rehab, hamstring goes in the warm-up game, knee goes in the first Test and now back for more rehab. It's soul-destroying for him," Hussain added.
Wood’s Test career, stretching back to his debut in 2015, has been punctuated by both triumph and tribulation. In 38 Tests, he has claimed 119 wickets, often at crucial moments. He was part of the victorious Ashes squad in 2015, lifted the 50-over World Cup in 2019, and contributed to England’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2022. Yet, injuries have limited his appearances, and with his 36th birthday looming in January 2026, questions about his future in the longest format are inevitable.
Despite the setback, Wood remains defiant. "I still believe we can turn things around. Never give in. Come on England," he posted, rallying both teammates and fans. His gratitude towards the England supporters, particularly the Barmy Army, was clear: "The barmy army have been class as always and I really appreciate it. Whatever happens I will continue to push the limits to get back again. It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go."
England’s selectors have acted swiftly, calling up 28-year-old Matthew Fisher from Surrey, who was already in Australia as part of the Lions tour, to join the senior squad as a replacement. Fisher, who made his only Test appearance in the Caribbean in 2022, is joined in the selection mix by Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts, both waiting in the wings for a chance to impress. Whether Fisher features in the Adelaide Test remains to be seen, but England’s options are now stretched thinner than ever.
The timing of Wood’s injury is doubly unfortunate given that Australia, too, have suffered a major blow. Veteran paceman Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the entire series due to hamstring and Achilles injuries, with coach Andrew McDonald expressing sympathy: "It’s really flat for him. A couple of setbacks we didn’t see coming. We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. We really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity." With Pat Cummins expected to return from a back problem for the third Test, and Mitchell Starc already claiming 18 wickets in the campaign, Australia’s bowling depth remains formidable.
For England, the path ahead is steep. The third Test in Adelaide represents a last chance to keep the series alive, with the fourth and fifth Tests scheduled for the MCG in Melbourne and the SCG in Sydney, respectively. England has not won a Test in Australia since the 2010-11 series, and the loss of Wood only compounds the challenge facing captain Ben Stokes and his men.
As Wood boards the flight home, his Ashes dreams on hold once more, the England camp must regroup and find new reserves of resilience. The Ashes story is far from over, but the absence of one of its most passionate protagonists will be keenly felt in the battles to come.
