England pacer Mark Wood is aiming for a county comeback next month as he looks to prove his fitness ahead of the highly-anticipated Ashes 2025-26 series against Australia later this year. Notably, Mark Wood hasn’t played a Test match for England since August last year. Mark Wood is only returning to full fitness from the knee injury he picked up at the Champions Trophy 2025 event in February.
England pacer Mark Wood is hoping a return to action in the County Championship next month will help him prove his fitness ahead of the highly anticipated Ashes tour at the end of this year. Mark Wood hasn’t played Test cricket since August last year and is looking to regain full fitness from a knee injury he sustained at the ICC Champions Trophy in February this year. The 35-year-old revealed he was close to making his return during the recently concluded fifth Test against India at home, but an incident during training set his plans back.
Mark Wood targets Durham county as a stepping stone for Ashes 2025-26 return
England fast bowler Mark Wood is set to make his competitive return to action for Durham in the County Championship next month as he steps up his rehabilitation from knee surgery ahead of this winter’s Ashes.
Mark Wood has been out of action for the last six months following an operation to his left knee to repair medial ligament damage that was exacerbated during the Champions Trophy. Though a success, the initial recovery time of four months proved to be optimistic, with Mark Wood missing the entirety of England’s Test series against India, having initially earmarked the fifth Test at the Kia Oval for a return.
The 35-year-old had been with the squad during that series but suffered a minor setback while training at Lord’s ahead of the third Test, which required fluid to be drained from his left knee, delaying his return. He was then pencilled in to feature in England’s white-ball fixtures in September, against South Africa and Ireland, but was subsequently left out of those squads.
While speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, the experienced quick pacer revealed he was close to making an appearance for the final match of England’s recent home Test series against India, but a setback at training pushed back his return.
“The injury is all right. It was 50-50 whether I was going to make the India Test but I was bowling at Lord’s and then, the next day, my knee swelled up again so I had it drained and since then it’s just been about taking things easy looking ahead to the winter,” said Wood.
Durham have matches scheduled next month against Essex (from September 8), Worcestershire (September 15) and Yorkshire (September 24) and Wood is eager to prove he has put his recurring knee issue behind him.
“I’ll try and play one or two of those matches. I’ve been well looked after and very cautious,” Wood said.
“I value it as they’ve got this end game where they want me to get to Australia. But I said to (England coach Brendon McCullum) Baz McCullum I can’t just bowl to a net for four months, I’ll go insane.
“There’s a bowling camp in Loughborough in a tent – getting acclimatised there ready for Perth – then I’ll go over to Perth early with a couple of bowlers. We’ll arrive about a week early to prepare and get acclimatized,” he added.
Mark Wood’s fitness will be crucial for Ben Stokes-led England as they attempt to win a first Ashes series in Australia since 2011. The 35-year-old pacer is likely to play a key role alongside fellow quicks Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse and even Chris Woakes should he be able to overcome his own fitness concerns.
The right-arm pacer picked up 14 wickets in just three Tests during the recent Ashes series in England and now hopes to feature in at least one county game for Durham next month to convince selectors that he deserves a spot in the squad for the first Test in Perth, starting November 21.
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