Mark Wood: Injured England bowler improving but wont push recovery

Wood has had a career plagued by injuries, including multiple knee and elbow operations, which have caused England to miss out on one of their top strike bowlers at times. He underwent a seven-month rehabilitation period for his knee to be ready for the Ashes series, regretting not being able to play some matches for his county before heading to Australia. “I tried to make a comeback at certain points, but my knee wasn’t quite up to it,” he said. Looking back, he feels that even at 80% fitness, playing a game would have provided an indication of his condition.

Although there were hopes of his return during the home summer, Wood only took the field in England’s Ashes warm-up game against the Lions at Lilac Hill in November. After bowling eight overs, he was cleared to play in the first Test following a hamstring scan. While focusing on his recovery, Wood also mentioned contemplating life after cricket, mentioning interests in starting podcasts and pursuing coaching qualifications. “I’ve started to think for the first time about what I should do if things don’t go well.”

Known as one of England’s fastest bowlers, Wood has taken 119 wickets in 38 Tests since his debut in 2015. He was a part of the 2015 Ashes-winning team, triumphed in the 2019 50-over World Cup, and secured victory in the T20 World Cup in 2022.