"I think there's a chance...": Injured Mark Wood opens up on his availability for Adelaide Test

Dec 04, 2025

Brisbane [Australia], December 4 : England right-arm pacer Mark Wood has cast doubt on his availability for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, starting December 17. The right-arm pacer Wood had surgery on his left knee earlier this year. He played his first international match during the opening Ashes Test against Australia in Perth in November. It was Wood's first Test game in 15 months.
During the Ashes opener, England seamer bowled 11 overs and went wicketless, as Australia won by eight wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
The 35-year-old Wood was ruled out of the second Test in Brisbane after he complained about having pain in his left knee.
Speaking to Channel 7 at the tea break on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test in Brisbane, Wood opened up that he might not be fit until the fourth test in Melbourne from December 26. Wood added that he has been taking injections in his knee since the conclusion of the first Test in Perth.
"I think there's a chance there, but more realistically, it's probably more Melbourne and then [Sydney] after that... I need to get out of this [brace] first to get moving around. Throughout my career, I've tried to show resilience and keep coming back and keep trying to push it where I can bowl faster and faster, but I'm getting older now. I don't know if my body's not coping with it as well [as it used to], but I'll keep trying. That's something I pride myself on, to keep running in for the team and be a good team man. I'm hoping I can get this right and can charge in again," Wood said to Channel 7 as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"I'm trying to just get through day-to-day at the moment. Later in the series is what I'm aiming for, but I can't do that much at the moment. I've had a couple of injections, resting up, and slowly but surely, running will start soon, then back into bowling. It's more mentally difficult than physically. You've got to try and build it back up and come back again, and that's probably the more difficult thing," England pacer added.
England is trailing 1-0 in the five-match Ashes Test series.