England’s injury troubles just keep piling up during this Ashes series unfortunately. Mark Wood won’t play the Brisbane Test after his knee started acting up. The veteran fast bowler’s body couldn’t handle the workload at Perth last week.
Wood’s Struggles in Perth
Mark Wood had a rough time during the opening Test match recently. He managed to bowl only 11 overs across the entire game there. What made things worse was that he couldn’t even grab a single wicket.
The 35-year-old pacer underwent knee surgery not too long ago before this series. His body clearly hasn’t recovered fully from that operation yet at all. England kept him in the attack hoping he’d find rhythm somehow.
But the Perth pitch and his fitness problems combined badly for Wood. He’s now one of the oldest players in England’s entire Ashes squad. His knee soreness forced him out right before the crucial pink-ball Test.
Josh Tongue Steps In
England decided Josh Tongue will replace Mark Wood in the Brisbane lineup. The team management wants to stick with an all-pace bowling attack still. They’re avoiding spin options completely despite Wood’s absence from the team now.
Tongue gets his chance to prove himself on Australian soil finally, in this series. He’ll need to step up big time with Wood watching from the sidelines. England desperately needs their pace bowlers to fire after losing the Perth opener badly.
Many experts believed Perth was England’s best shot at winning an Ashes Test. They lost that golden opportunity and now trail 1-0 already in Brisbane. Wood’s injury makes their comeback chances even tougher going forward from here.
Australia’s Injury Concerns Too
Pat Cummins misses the Brisbane Test while recovering from his own problems. The Australian captain hopes to return for Adelaide’s third Test next week. His absence levels the playing field slightly for England’s struggling attack currently.
Both teams are dealing with key players missing during this intense series. But England’s injury list looks longer and more concerning right now honestly. Wood’s fitness issues highlight the physical toll of playing Test cricket nonstop.
The pink-ball Test starts on Dec 4 without two experienced fast bowlers on the field.
