Mark Wood is expected to miss the second Ashes Test, after suffering soreness in the same knee that ruled him out of England’s entire home summer
England quick Mark Wood is set to be ruled out of the second Ashes Test with a knee injury in a massive blow to the tourists’ hopes at the Gabba.
Wood did not train on Saturday as they began preparations for the day-night Test, owing to an issue with his left knee.
England officials do not expect him to recover in time for Thursday’s opening day in Brisbane, but there is hope he will recover to play a part later in the series.
The 35-year-old’s fitness had always loomed as crucial in their Ashes hopes, after he completely swung the 2023 series with his return at Headingley.
Wood missed the entire county season last winter after having surgery on his left knee in March, before returning in time to head to Australia.
He also needed scans on a sore hamstring in England’s intra-squad warm-up game in Perth earlier this month, before their eight-wicket defeat in the first Test.
Wood had arrived in Australia knowing it was unlikely he would play all five Tests, but there is no question England need him and Jofra Archer as often as possible.
The tourists’ pace battery was able to run through Australia in the first innings at Perth Stadium, taking an 40-run lead.
But their speed dropped off significantly on day two as Travis Head’s century led Australia to victory, with Wood’s pace noticeably down.
The right-armer ended up going wicketless for the match, but still left his mark with a blow to Cameron Green’s helmet while bowling at close to 150km/h.
Wood was also England’s leading wicket-taker on their last Ashes tour in Australia, claiming 17 at an average of 26.64.
His injury is likely to see either Josh Tongue or Matthew Potts selected for the pink-ball Test, with both playing against the Prime Minister’s XI this weekend.
Potts claimed the wickets of Nathan McSweeney and Oliver Peake on Saturday after both had made half-centuries batting in the hosts’ top order.
Tongue played one Test at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes, bowling Usman Khawaja and David Warner before getting Steve Smith caught.
Alternatively, England could bring in a frontline spinner in place of Wood, in the form of Shoaib Bashir or Will Jacks. Neither are playing in Canberra.
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: Australia won by eight wickets
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (second Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
