England’s Ashes campaign has suffered a major setback as Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a recurring knee injury. The 36-year-old fast bowler, who first injured his left knee during England’s Champions Trophy campaign in February, was unable to recover in time to participate in the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. Matthew Fisher has been called into the squad as his replacement.
Wood’s Perth comeback, his first Test in 15 months, was a cautious attempt to re-establish himself in international cricket. Despite bowling 11 overs, he failed to take a wicket, and his team lost the match by eight wickets. He was unavailable for the second Test in Brisbane, which England also lost, leaving the series score at 0-2. The ECB confirmed that Wood will return to England this week and work closely with the medical team to focus on rehabilitation and long-term recovery.
Fisher, a 28-year-old right-arm pacer, is relatively inexperienced at the Test level, having played only once for England, against the West Indies in 2022. Standing six foot two inches, Fisher has impressed with the England Lions in Australia and will now join the senior squad ahead of the crucial third Test in Adelaide, scheduled for 17 December.
The news follows Australia’s announcement that Josh Hazlewood will miss the series. However, the home side is strengthened by Pat Cummins’ return and the possible comeback of Usman Khawaja, who missed the Brisbane Test due to back problems. With a 2-0 lead, Australia remains in a commanding position, while England’s bowling options are significantly weakened.
The inclusion of Fisher offers England a fresh opportunity to inject pace and energy into their attack, but the team will face immense pressure to perform against a dominant Australian side. Wood’s absence not only removes experience from the bowling line-up but also tests the depth of England’s bench strength. With the Adelaide Test looming, the spotlight is now on England’s young pace bowlers to rise to the challenge.