Wood featured in 1st Test of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, but suffered a thigh strain.
Mark Wood, England's fastest bowler, will miss the upcoming Test trips to Pakistan and New Zealand after being sidelined for the rest of the year with a bone-stress injury to his right elbow.
Wood was removed from the ongoing Sri Lanka series as a precaution after sustaining a right thigh strain while bowling in the first Test at Old Trafford.
Wood had reported increasing stiffness and discomfort in his elbow during the West Indies Test series in July of this year. However, he played in the first Test against Sri Lanka last month and took two wickets.
He was then rested from the playing XIs for the second and third Tests. He was replaced by Olly Stone in the second Test, while Josh Hull, an uncapped pacer, made his debut in the third.
"During what I thought was routine check on a previously troublesome elbow, I was shocked to learn I’ve got some bone stress in my right elbow. After the minor groin injury at Emirates Old Trafford, me and the medical team felt it was a good time to get my elbow looked at as it was a bit irritated. I’d put that down to the normal niggles every fast bowler gets and which I was playing through.
I’m especially surprised because I’ve been playing Test cricket and kept my speeds up,” Wood posted on Instagram.
"I will miss the rest of the year needing time to rest and build up, fully expecting to be back and firing in early 2025. I have been down this path before and will put in all the hard yards behind the scenes. I am very proud to represent my country and there is no better feeling,” he added.
As a result, he will miss England's final six Tests of the year, three each against Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December.
In the meantime, he will continue to train closely with the ECB medical stto returnrning to full fitness by early 2025, in time for England's white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, both of which begin in February.
Wood's surprise at his prognosis comes after some of the fastest bowling of his international career. During the Trent Bridge Test against the West Indies in July, he hit a peak speed of 97.1mph in an exhilarating performance.
(ICC inputs)