Brisbane, Nov 29 (LatestNewsX) – England will lose fast bowler Mark Wood for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, a loss that dampens their hopes of tying the series.
Wood, 35, had just returned to Test cricket last week after missing nine months of the game due to surgery on his left knee. He bowled a single spell of eleven overs before England were beaten in just two days – a result not seen in an Ashes match for over a hundred years.
The injury‑prone pacer was the only squad member who missed Saturday’s training at Allan Border Field, confirming he will not feature in the Thursday night Test at the Gabba.
Josh Tongue is expected to step into the role. The Worcestershire seamer is in Canberra with the England Lions, joined by Matthew Potts and Jacob Bethell, as they prepare to face the Prime Minister’s XI.
Wood’s setback adds another chapter to a career plagued by fitness issues. Prior to the Perth Test, he had gone 15 months without playing England’s red‑ball cricket, first after an elbow injury and then knee surgery. Even his warm‑up appearance for the Lions before the series caused concern when he left the field with a tight hamstring, although scans later found no serious damage.
Despite failing to take a wicket in Perth, Wood’s inclusion allowed England to unleash the high‑pace strategy they had planned against Australia. Their five‑seamer burst produced the team’s fastest collective day of bowling in Test history on day one. The pace tightened the next day as Australia chased an eight‑wicket victory.
His absence is especially worrying given England’s poor track record under lights. They have won only two of seven day‑night Tests overall, and none in Australia. The Gabba – a venue where England’s last win came in 1986 – has traditionally favoured the hosts, who have won 13 of 14 pink‑ball encounters.
Australia will also enjoy the services of Mitchell Starc, widely regarded as the world’s best pink‑ball bowler. While the pink ball behaves similarly to the red, its lower visibility under lights remains a challenge for England – a challenge that feels even tougher now that their fastest bowler is sidelined.
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