KARACHI — While Brydon Carse’s tournament-ending toe issue was an inconvenience to England during this doomed Champions Trophy campaign, the knee injury sustained by Mark Wood during the defeat by Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday is a major concern.
Despite being seen walking freely around England’s team hotel on Friday, The i Paper understands the fast bowler will see a specialist on his return home from the tournament following Saturday’s final group match against South Africa.
While England are awaiting more details on exactly what the issue with Wood is, it is feared that surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left kneecap will be needed.
The uncertainty over the 35-year-old’s fitness at the start of a year that includes blockbuster Test series against India and Australia is the last thing England would have wanted.
Given his age and injury history, the signs are not necessarily positive. Yet Wood is a strong character who has dealt with worse, including three ankle surgeries in the space of 12 months at the start of his England career, and will be as motivated as ever to return to fitness this summer at his lightning-quick best.
The Northumbrian had surgery on the same left knee following England’s victorious home World Cup campaign in 2019 which saw him miss that summer’s Ashes.
There were also issues with the same joint at the end of the Test series in India last winter. He did not play for two-and-a-half months but was back in time to play a full part in England’s T20 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean. Crucially, though, he didn’t need surgery then.
On his return to Test cricket last July, he bowled an electrifying spell against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, hitting 97.1 miles per hour during what was the quickest over by an England bowler since records began.
Yet after playing three of England’s first four Tests last summer, he was ruled out for the rest of the year with a recurrence of the injury to his right elbow that had required surgery in 2022.
Jofra Archer has suffered from the same injury during his career and at least this latest issue is not that again.
It is also worth noting that after his last couple of injury lay-offs, Wood’s pace has not been compromised. Indeed, he is bowling quicker than ever.
After missing the first two Tests of the 2023 Ashes with lingering concerns over that right elbow, he shocked Australia in the third at Headingley, hitting 96.5mph on his way to a first-innings haul of 5 for 34. He played the two remaining Tests as well without issue, taking 14 wickets at 20.21 in the series.
Wood also played four of the five Tests during the 2021-22 Ashes in Australia and was easily England’s best bowler with 17 wickets at 26.64 despite the fact his team were hammered 4-0 in the series.
England would dearly love Wood back at his best for the Ashes but have plenty to do to make sure he gets on the plane ahead of the first Test at Perth on 21 November.
Much depends on how serious this latest injury is. If surgery is needed he is likely to be out for a minimum of six weeks. He could yet be back for the start of the international summer.
Whenever he does return, England will have to be careful about exactly how much cricket he plays.
If he can return in time, it seems sensible to restrict him to two or three of the five Tests against India and then let him rest up ahead of Australia.
Playing white-ball cricket should be out of the question unless it is to build him back for a return against India.
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