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England fast bowler Mark Wood said on Friday it was “bad news” that he was ruled out for the rest of the year with a right elbow injury.
The 34-year-old had already been ruled out of the final two matches of England’s three-Test series against Sri Lanka after suffering a muscle strain in his right thigh while playing in the series opener at Old Trafford.
But Friday’s statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said Wood, a key member of the England squad as they prepare for next year’s Ashes in Australia despite a career blighted by ankle and back problems, had noticed increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow during the Test series against the West Indies earlier in the season.
He added that Wood had “managed the discomfort” of playing in Manchester, where England won by five wickets in a series in Sri Lanka which they are now looking to conclude with a 3-0 clean sweep in the ongoing third Test at the Oval.
Wood will now miss England’s next three Test tours to Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December.
“During what I thought was a routine check-up on a previously problematic elbow, I was shocked to learn that I had some bone tension in my right elbow,” Wood wrote on Instagram.
“The medical team and I thought it was a good time to have a look at my elbow because it was a little irritated. I would say it was just the normal little problems that any fast bowler encounters and that I had to deal with while playing.”
He added: “I’m working incredibly hard on my fitness, putting in extra effort with the coaches and physios which makes it even more disappointing. I’m going to miss the rest of the year, I need time to rest and get stronger, I expect to be back and fully fit in early 2025.”
“I’ve already come this far and I’m going to put in all the effort I can. I’m very proud to represent my country and there’s no better feeling. See you for some rockets in 2025!”
The ECB said Wood would aim to return in time for England’s white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin in February 2025.
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