Mark Wood Ruled Out of Ashes 2025–26: England Face Major Injury Blow After 0–2 Deficit

England’s Ashes campaign has been dealt a severe blow after fast bowler Mark Wood was ruled out of the remaining three Tests due to a recurrence of his long-standing left knee injury. The setback comes at a critical point in the five-match series, where England trail 0–2 after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane.

Wood, 35, who made a long-awaited return following knee surgery and previous elbow trouble, experienced discomfort during the first Test in Perth. Despite bowling with impressive pace, he remained wicketless and required a knee brace and pain-killing injections throughout the match. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Tuesday that Wood would fly home for rehabilitation under the medical team’s supervision.

Matthew Fisher Named Replacement

Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher has been called up as Wood’s replacement and is expected to join the squad in Australia this week. Fisher’s inclusion aims to bolster England’s pace unit, which has struggled to make an impact despite featuring express quicks.

A Return Cut Short

Wood had spent nearly 15 months recovering from knee surgery before featuring in the Ashes opener. His brief warm-up match for the England Lions raised some concerns when he bowled only eight overs due to hamstring tightness, but scans cleared him to participate in Perth.

However, after his short workload in the first Test, England chose to rest him for the second Test in Brisbane, replacing him with all-rounder Will Jacks. Australia capitalised on England’s weakened pace attack, securing a dominant eight-wicket victory.

England’s Pace Strategy Falters

England entered the Ashes with a strategy centred around high-speed bowling, hoping to unsettle Australian batters with consistent 140 kph spells. But with Wood out and performances from the remaining quicks underwhelming, the plan has yet to deliver.

Even with talented pacers like Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts, England have struggled to apply pressure against a powerful Australian batting line-up.

What Lies Ahead

The team now faces the challenge of regrouping ahead of the third Test, scheduled to begin on December 17 in Adelaide. Wood had expressed optimism about returning later in the series, but England have decided not to risk worsening his injury.

With their Ashes hopes fading, England must find a way to recalibrate their bowling attack and counter Australia’s dominance.