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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday, September 6 confirmed that star pacer, Mark Wood will miss the remainder of the 2024 cricketing season after he incurred “bone stress injury” in his right elbow. The 34-year-old English pacer, who was earlier ruled out of the concluding two Test matches of the Sri Lanka series, sustained the injury in the Test series against West Indies, earlier this year.
However, this proves to be a massive blow for The Three Lions as the speedster will miss the remaining season in this year. Moreover, he continues to be under the observation of the ECB medical team in order to regain full match fitness for the matches scheduled to take place next year, including the Champions Trophy 2025.
Mark Wood to miss Pakistan and New Zealand tours
Although the elbow injury dates to the West Indies series, the 34-year-old speedster was sidelined of the remaining two Tests against Sri Lanka after suffering a right thigh muscle strain while bowling in the opening Test at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. Speaking on Wood’s injury, ECB in its statement stated that in order to build towards next year’s Ashes in Australia, the speedster had noticed increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow.
“Medical scans have confirmed that Wood has a bone stress injury of the right elbow injury. He had noticed increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow during the Test series against the West Indies earlier in the summer. He played a full part in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford managing the discomfort whilst he was bowling,” ECB’s statement read.
See you for some rockets in 2025: Mark Wood reacts
Furthermore, it is believed that Wood will miss England’s upcoming tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, scheduled to take place later this year. Speaking after ECB’s statement, Wood also took to social media to open up on his injury struggles. “During what I thought was routine check on a previously troublesome elbow, I was shocked to learn I’ve got some bone stress in my right elbow,” he wrote on his Instagram.
“Me and the medical team felt it was a good time to get my elbow looked at as it was a bit irritated. I’d put that down to the normal niggles every fast bowler gets and which I was playing through. I work incredibly hard on my fitness, putting in extra work with coaches and physios making this even more disappointing. I will miss the rest of the year, needing time to rest and build up, (I’m) fully expecting to be back and firing in early 2025," he added. “I have been down this path before and will put in all the hard yards behind the scenes. I am very proud to represent my country and there is no better feeling. See you for some rockets in 2025!” Wood concluded.
