England fast bowler Mark Wood has cast doubt over his participation in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, citing ongoing issues with his left knee. The 35-year-old, who returned after a nine-month absence following knee surgery, was unavailable for the second Test in Brisbane due to continued fitness concerns.

Wood’s Injury Struggles and Comeback

Wood has had a challenging run with injuries throughout his career, limiting his appearances for England. Prior to the first Test in Perth, he had not played a Test for 15 months, recovering initially from an elbow problem and then undergoing left knee surgery.

In a warm-up match against the England Lions ahead of the Ashes series, Wood bowled eight overs before experiencing tightness in his left hamstring. Scans later cleared him of any significant issues, allowing him to feature in Perth, where he recorded match figures of 0-44.

Despite returning to the international stage, Wood remains cautious about rushing back too soon, acknowledging the need for proper rehabilitation before resuming full pace bowling.

“I think there’s a chance there [for Adelaide],” Wood told Channel 7.
“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.”

Impact on England’s Ashes Strategy

Wood’s presence had been central to England’s plan to deploy a five-man pace attack at Perth Stadium, allowing the team to deliver one of the fastest opening days of Test bowling in Ashes history. England relied heavily on Wood’s raw pace alongside Ben Stokes to challenge Australia’s batting lineup.

However, after a blistering start, England’s bowling speeds dropped on the second day of the first Test, and Australia went on to secure an eight-wicket victory in their second innings. Wood’s uncertain fitness for Adelaide leaves England’s pace options limited as they aim to respond in the next leg of the series.

Looking Ahead

The Ashes schedule provides a week between the conclusion of the second Test and the start of the third in Adelaide, offering Wood a window to recover. England will hope their spearhead can regain full fitness, as his ability to deliver high-speed bowling is a key component of their strategy against Australia’s top order.

If Wood cannot feature in Adelaide, selectors may need to reconsider England’s pace attack, possibly leaning more on backups to maintain the team’s intensity and speed.