Mark Wood: England fast bowler ruled out of Ashes series against Australia with Matthew Fisher called up to squad
England bowler Mark Wood "gutted" to miss rest of Ashes with knee injur, will now return home to begin recovery; Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher - whose sole Test so far came in the West Indies in 2022 - called up to squad ahead of third Test in Adelaide; England 2-0 down in five-Test series
Tuesday 9 December 2025 11:55, UK
England's hopes of launching an Ashes fightback have been hit by the news that fast bowler Mark Wood will miss the rest of the series due to a left knee injury, with Matthew Fisher called up to the squad in his place.
Wood, 35, has suffered a recurrence of the problem he sustained during the eight-wicket defeat to Australia in the first Test at Perth last month.
The Durham quick subsequently sat out the eight-wicket loss at The Gabba in the second Test and will now play no part in the final three games either, the first of which starts at Adelaide Oval on December 17.
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Wood will return home to England later this week and work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery.
'I'll push the limits' - Wood determined to play for England again
Writing on Instagram, he said: "Gutted to be out the remainder of the Ashes. After extensive surgery and months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn't held up.
"None of us expected this. I came here with high expectations about making a big impact.
"I'm desperately disappointed that despite yet more injections and intensive medical treatment it has become clear that the flare up in my knee is worse than feared.
"I'm really sorry that has left me unable to perform as expected but it is not for want of trying. I still believe we can turn things around. Never give in. Come on England."
The seamer's latest setback in a career blighted by injury - the Perth Test was his first competitive game since February following knee surgery - and his age will invariably lead to questions about his England future.
However, Wood is determined to return, adding: "Whatever happens I will continue to push the limits to get back again. It has been a tough road these past few months but I remain determined to give it another proper go."
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'His body keeps letting him down' - Hussain on Wood's injury setback
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain:
"It is a huge blow to the team and the individual.
"The team because you want all your bowlers available, especially going into the final three Tests that are one after another. We have had big gaps so far but after the third Test they come thick and fast.
"England may not have been able to go Wood and Jofra Archer again but if Archer needed a rest Wood could have come in and that is not possible now.
"It is also a blow for Wood, who is such a likeable lad that gives it absolutely everything every time he plays for England. He is so popular in that team but his body just keeps letting him down.
"He has come back from yet another injury after eight, nine months in rehab, hamstring goes in the warm-up game, knee goes in the first Test and now back for more rehab. It's soul-destroying for him.
"He has been around for a decade and played 38 Tests. He will be very down at the moment and I hope it's not the last we see of him in Tests. He turns 36 next month and at that age it is very difficult to keep coming back from injuries."
Fisher added to England squad after Wood injury
Surrey seamer Fisher has been in Australia with the Lions team.
Fisher has taken two wickets in three games for the Lions this winter, including that of Zak Crawley lbw when England's second string played the senior team in a pre-Ashes warm-up at Lilac Hill.
The 28-year-old recorded figures of 0-105 from 31 overs as the Lions lost to Australia A by an innings and 127 runs at Allan Border Field in Brisbane last week.
Fisher has played one Test for England so far, in the West Indies in March 2022, when he registered match figures of 1-21 from 27 overs, making John Campbell his first, and so far only, Test wicket.
Hussain said of the former Yorkshire bowler: "He is over 6ft tall and quick enough. He has not got a stack of wickets for the Lions but took 11 wickets for Surrey against Nottinghamshire in the final County Championship game of last season and bowled beautifully."
What are England's plans ahead of the third Ashes Test?
England are heading off for a pre-planned break in Noosa with no cricket training set to take place.
The squad will then fly to Adelaide on Saturday before training on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday ahead of the third Test starting in South Australia the following day.
England are winless in their last 17 Tests in Australia, losing 15 and drawing two, with the poor start to this series following a 5-0 whitewash in 2013-14 and 4-0 drubbings in 2017-18 and 2021-22.
Joe Root scored his first away Ashes hundred, in his 30th innings in Australia, in the pink-ball fixture in Brisbane but is yet to win a Test in the country, having also been part of the squads beaten across the previous three tours.
No Test team since Australia in 1936-37 have come back from two down to win a five-match series, underlining the scale of England's task as they aim for a first series triumph in Australia since a 3-1 victory under Sir Andrew Strauss in 2010-11.
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
Australia lead five-match series 2-0
- First Test (Perth): Australia beat England by eight wickets
- Second Test (Brisbane): Australia beat England by eight wickets
- Third Test: Wednesday December 17 - Sunday December 21 (Adelaide)
- Fourth Test: Friday December 26 - Tuesday December 30 (Melbourne)
- Fifth Test: Sunday January 4 - Thursday January 8 (Sydney)
