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BRISBANE: England fast bowler Mark Wood is expected to miss the second Ashes Test against Australia at The Gabba as team management looks to carefully manage his recovery, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
The decision comes as England aim to preserve their express pacer for the remainder of the Ashes series after his long return from injury.
Wood featured in the opening Test in Perth, which England lost inside two days, marking his first competitive appearance in nearly nine months following knee surgery for medial ligament damage earlier this year.
The 35-year-old bowled 11 overs in that match and was notably absent from England’s first training session in Brisbane on Saturday, the only member of the touring party not present at Allan Border Field.
During the Perth Test, Wood himself admitted in a television interview that he was unlikely to play all five matches of the series.
He had already been under a fitness cloud before the opening Test after experiencing tightness in his left hamstring during a warm-up fixture at Lilac Hill.
Despite that, he proved his readiness in the nets and delivered in the match with trademark pace, including a 150kph bouncer that struck Cameron Green on the grille.
With England trailing 1-0 in the series, Mark Wood is expected to be rested for the pink-ball Test, with a possible return pencilled in for the third Test in Adelaide.
Josh Tongue is the leading candidate to replace him, while Matthew Potts also remains in contention.
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