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Mark Wood is taking the cautious route back from injury, knowing his next comeback may be his last chance to bowl for England again.
Mark Wood says he is determined not to rush his recovery from the knee injury that derailed his Ashes campaign, with the England fast bowler targeting a return to bowling later this summer.
The 36-year-old underwent surgery on his left knee in March 2025 and briefly returned in England's opening Ashes Test against Australia in Perth last November. However, after bowling only 11 overs, he was ruled out of the remainder of the series, another setback in a career repeatedly interrupted by injury.
Wood acknowledged time is no longer on his side and admitted this rehabilitation may be his final opportunity to fully restore his body for international cricket.
He said he needed to take the recovery slowly, adding that rushing back could risk ending his playing career altogether. His focus, he insisted, remains firmly on representing England again.
That determination comes despite mounting frustration. Wood has spent more than a year battling back from surgery, only to suffer another breakdown after a single Test appearance. For a bowler whose game is built on extreme pace, returning at anything less than full fitness is hardly an option.
His absence also leaves England navigating a period of major transition in fast bowling. With James Anderson and Stuart Broad retired from Test cricket, and uncertainty around Chris Woakes and Wood's long-term future in the format, England's attack is being reshaped at speed.
There are fresh injury concerns elsewhere too. Brydon Carse is racing to recover from a broken wrist, while June's first home Test against New Zealand at Lord's may arrive too soon for Jofra Archer following his Indian Premier League stint.
That could open the door for Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, while Matthew Potts, Matthew Fisher and centrally contracted Sonny Baker remain in the mix. Emerging quicks Tom Lawes and Mitchell Stanley are also being monitored closely as England search for the next wave of pace talent.
For Wood, though, the equation is simple. One careful comeback, one more chance.