Sports02 May, 20262 min read
Wood 'improving' but thinking of life after cricket
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Mark Wood considers life after cricket if his current recovery fails. Wood returned to Test cricket in the 2025-26 Ashes after elbow injury and knee surgery.
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Return to Test cricket
Fast bowler Mark Wood has admitted life after cricket is in his thoughts if recovery from his latest injury doesn't go well. The 36-year-old returned to Test cricket in the 2025-26 Ashes series after 15 months out with an elbow injury followed by knee surgery.
He returned to bowl just 11 overs in the first Ashes Test in November, which England lost inside two days. He then missed the second Test with swelling in the knee and was subsequently ruled out of the tour.
Recovery progress outlook
Wood described the recovery as real slow going and a fine balance, saying that if he pushes too hard then that could end his career. The Durham bowler explained there had been improvement in the knee, with the recovery split into two phases.
Six-week blocks, not day by day, have brought progress, and every six weeks has been an improvement. He has started running now and is hoping by the next block he can start lightly bowling.
Injury history and build‑up
Wood has been plagued by injuries during his career, including multiple knee and elbow operations, which have robbed England of one of their finest strike bowlers. He spent seven months rehabilitating his knee in order to be fit for the Ashes and lamented not being able to play some games for his county before heading to Australia for the series. He tried to get back at certain points but his knee wasn't quite ready.
It is easy in hindsight; even if he had been at 80%, the game would have given us an indicator of where he was. He was thought to have been close to a return in the home summer, but ultimately did not take the field until England's only Ashes warm-up game against the Lions at Lilac Hill in November. He bowled eight overs but was only cleared to play in the first Test following a hamstring scan.
Life after cricket and career highlights
For now, although focused on his recovery, Wood has started thinking about life after cricket. He has started thinking about other things, doing podcasts, and pursuing coaching badges. He has begun to consider what he should do if this doesn't go well.
Wood — regarded as one of the fastest bowlers to play for England — has taken 119 wickets in 38 Tests since making his debut in 2015. He was part of the 2015 Ashes-winning side, lifted the 2019 50-over World Cup and won the T20 World Cup in 2022.