Sports22 September, 20262 min read
Mark Wood Retires From International Cricket After Injuries, England Says
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Mark Wood retires from international cricket at 36 with immediate effect. Career blighted by injuries, including elbow injury and knee surgery.
6 outlets told this the same way.
Wood ends England career
Mark Wood announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, bringing an end to a career at the age of 36 that he said was “a natural time at the end of my contract.” Wood said he had been blighted by injuries throughout his career and that “On medical advice, Test cricket and 50-over cricket are not possible,” after he returned to action in the first Ashes Test in Perth in November following 15 months out with an elbow injury and knee surgery.
Wood said he hopes to continue playing cricket in some capacity, and he pointed to his England record of 119 wickets in 38 Tests and 54 wickets in 38 men’s T20s. Rob Key, England’s managing director, said it was “a privilege to watch the latter part of a great career,” praising Wood as “a point of difference in Ashes series wins” and a contributor to “two World Cup wins.”
Injury timeline and last game
Wood said he had been “ground down” by a long battle with injuries, describing a year-and-a-half since Perth where he was “just sort of ground me down to thinking: 'I'm never going to get back to this level'.” Wood said his contract ends in September and that “it just feels like the right time,” while he added that he never wanted to give up England but the news should be about “the lads that are going to get their contracts.”
Wood said he made his decision on Tuesday morning before working on England’s ODI against Sri Lanka at his home ground, the Riverside in Durham. Wood told Sky Sports that he knew his knee injury was serious because “I'd had that previous surgery where I was always trying to chase my tail,” and he said “Probably, from my point of view [came back too early and rushed return].”
What comes next
Wood said he intends to keep playing for Durham in the T20 Blast and in other franchise leagues, alongside his media work, after learning he would not be offered an extension to the three-year England central contract he signed in 2023. Wood said he would like to be remembered “as a great team-mate” rather than for any individual achievements, and he described his best memories as “with the lads - not moments that I've had.”
Sky Sports said Wood will be part of the Sky Sports commentary team for Tuesday’s one-day international between England and Sri Lanka in Durham. Wood said he still “love[s] to play for England for 20 overs,” but he concluded that it “just feels like a nice time to just say that's a natural end.”