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In a major blow to England's Test side, pacer Mark Wood has been ruled for the remainder of 2024 due to a "bone stress injury" on his right elbow. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released a statement on Friday, September 6.
The ECB stated that Wood first noticed the injury during the Test series against West Indies in July but played through the pain against Sri Lanka in the first Test last month.
During the match against Sri Lanka, Wood also sustained a right thigh injury, which was cited as the reason for his absence from the second Test. The ECB said that the thigh injury is being managed separately and Wood is "recovering well".
"Medical scans have confirmed that Wood has a bone stress injury of the right elbow injury. He had noticed increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow during the Test series against the West Indies earlier in the summer. He played a full part in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford managing the discomfort whilst he was bowling," the ECB wrote.
"Wood will continue to work closely with the ECB medical team on his management and rehabilitation," the board statement added.
Wood was one of the stand-out performers against the West Indies, taking nine wickets, including a fifer, in two Tests. At Old Trafford against Sri Lanka, the Englishman bowled at full tilt and showed decent rhythm, picking two wickets.
Mark Wood to aim return for white-ball tour of India: ECB
Wood will now miss England's Test tours of Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December. The ECB has set his return date for England's tour of India, which will begin on January 23.
"He aims to return to full fitness by early 2025, in time for England’s white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, scheduled to begin in February 2025," the statement concluded.
In his absence, the likes of Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, and Craig Overton have stood tall for England so far. But going to Pakistan and New Zealand without the senior-most pacer of this new attack will be a challenge for Ben Stokes and Co.
