England's Wood ruled out of Ashes tour

England's Mark Wood walks onto the field during a training session at The Gabba in Brisbane on December 2, 2025, ahead of the second Ashes cricket Test. [AFP]

Fast bowler Mark Wood will play no further part in the Ashes tour and is to fly home from Australia at the weekend, England announced yesterday.

Wood, 35, returned to action in the first Test in Perth after surgery kept him out for eight months, only to miss the second match in Brisbane after his left knee flared up again.

"Wood will return home later this week and will work closely with the ECB medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery," said an England statement. Wood said he was "gutted" in a lengthy post on social media. "After extensive surgery and months of work and rehab to get back into the Test arena, my knee just hasn't held up," he said.