England's Fast Bowler Mark Wood Expresses Quiet Confidence for Ashes Opener
Wood has been absent from Test cricket since August 2024.
England's pace spearhead Mark Wood says he is "quietly confident" about his fitness for the opening match of the Ashes series down under.
The cricketer has been sidelined since a Champions Trophy defeat against Afghanistan last winter and had an operation on a left knee injury this spring.
That tournament and tour of India that preceded it was the 35-year-old's return from an elbow injury that had kept him out for many months.
"The summer was disappointing," Wood explained. "I didn't get to play any cricket and my knee sometimes, when you think that you're just about ready, it wasn't fully recovered."
"I got knocked back on several occasions, but in the tent [training camp] progress has been positive. I've had the speed gun out and my speed is increasing."
The opener of the Ashes starts on 21 November in Perth, with England seeking victory in their initial series win on Australian soil in over a decade.
"With luck, I'll be performing well, delivering effectively during warm-up matches and in net sessions, and can make my case for the first Test," Wood continued, who last played a Test versus Sri Lanka over a year back.
"The rehab hasn't just been a straight curve, it had its ups and downs, but now I'm in a better place where i'm hoping to kick on toward the match."
"I avoid making statements claiming, 'I'm fully ready, I'm set'. I'm in a confident place currently and more optimistic, so I'm cautiously hopeful."
Australia's Fitness Concerns
At the same time, worries for Australia regarding the health of squad members have led to all-rounder Cameron Green being replaced by Marnus Labuschagne for the ODI series with India, which starts on Sunday.
The Aussies also have doubts about the fitness of skipper Pat Cummins, who's been absent since July because of lumbar bone stress affecting his spine.
"Green is unavailable of the [India] series having experienced mild side discomfort at training this week," Cricket Australia said.
"He will undergo a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return for the third round of domestic cricket to continue his preparation for the series."
Round three of Australia's domestic Sheffield Shield competition is scheduled to start on 28 October.
