Ashes 2025-26: Wood set to miss second Test at Gabba with knee concerns

England pace bowler Mark Wood is likely to miss the second Ashes Test in Brisbane due to knee trouble.

The 35-year-old had only recently returned from a lengthy layoff after surgery on the same knee, following England's Perth Test defeat.

Wood bowled 11 overs in that game as England were defeated inside two days—the first two-day Ashes Test in 104 years.

He did not attend England's opening training session in Brisbane, the only one of 13 players not present at Allan Border Field on Saturday.

If Wood cannot play, Josh Tongue would be the most likely replacement for the second Test, a day-night clash at the Gabba which starts on Thursday.

Tongue is one of three England players — alongside fast bowler Matthew Potts and batsman Jacob Bethell — who have been sent to play for England Lions against the Prime Minister's XI in Canberra this weekend.

The setback adds to England's pace concerns. Wood is one of England's fastest bowlers and has a history of injuries. Before Perth, he had not played a Test for 15 months due to elbow problems and then knee surgery.

During his comeback in a warm-up match before Perth, Wood bowled eight overs before reporting tightness in his left hamstring. Scans later cleared him of serious hamstring injury, and he was declared fit to play in Perth, where he finished with figures of 0-44.

Wood's potential absence would complicate England's plan to unleash pace on Australia at the Gabba in a day-night Test, a match type that can be tougher under lights.

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie warned that England must have enough pace stamina to bowl at high speed across a full Test and into subsequent matches.

England's absence would be felt at the Gabba, a ground where they have not won since 1986, and where pink-ball Tests have not always favored them. Australia lead pink-ball statistics, with a strong record in day-night matches.

The pink ball behaves similarly to the red ball but can be harder to see under lights. Mitchell Starc has excelled in pink-ball cricket, and Wood's last day-night Test, in Hobart in 2022, yielded nine wickets for England.

Former England seamer Stuart Broad noted that the pink ball can be tricky to read under floodlights, requiring batters and bowlers to adjust to lighting and seam movement.

Understanding the pink-ball challenge

The Gabba's day-night fixture tests pace, seam, and stamina, and England will need to balance workloads while aiming to disrupt Australia with fast bowling.

Expert comment

Expert view: A former Australia bowler questioned England's capacity to sustain high pace across a full Test and into future matches, stressing the importance of depth in pace resources.

Short summary

Mark Wood's potential absence creates a serious hurdle for England's pace plans at the Gabba. Tongue could provide a needed alternative, and how England handles pink-ball cricket will shape the result. Australia remain dangerous in day-night cricket, especially with Starc leading their attack.

Key takeaway: Wood's injury adds uncertainty to England's pace strategy for the Gabba day-night Test. Source