With the highly-anticipated Ashes series kickstarting in less than a week’s time, while the Australian men’s team is struggling with injuries to several key players, the England team was also sweating
on Mark Wood’s fitness. Notably, on Thursday, November 13, Mark Wood complained of left hamstring stiffness during the intra-squad warm-up match. This occurred after the 35-year-old return after recovering from left knee injury.
As a result, Wood was scheduled to undergo scans on Friday, November 14 as a precautionary measure with doubt looming over his fitness. The statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) about the fitness of their star pacer read, “The plan for Mark Wood was for him to bowl eight overs today. He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow.”
Mark Wood cleared to play first Ashes Test in Perth
But early on Saturday, November, England Cricket shared a positive update around Wood. "Following precautionary scans on Friday, England fast bowler Mark Wood has been cleared of any concerns regarding his left hamstring," the statement said. "He is not expected to feature today – the third day of England's warm-up match against the Lions XI at Lilac Hill Park, Perth," it further added.
Moreover, The England cricket board also confirmed, "Wood will continue to train as planned in the build-up to the first Test in Perth." While selecting Mark Wood for the Ashes opener would represent major risk for the Three Lions, Jofra Archer is likely to be the option for the opening match in Perth.
England squad for Ashes 2025-26:
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
