England’s bowling department has been seriously affected by the loss of Mark Wood, the fastest and most seasoned among them. Concerns about his left knee have ruled him out just a few days after he made a much-anticipated comeback to Test cricket.

The now-35-year-old Wood was finally able to join the Test cricket in Perth, after enduring a nine-month rehabilitation period following knee surgery. However, his return was tragic. The match saw him bowl only 11 overs before England suffered their fastest Ashes defeat in more than a century.

What happened?

The first big sign came on Saturday morning when Wood skipped England’s training session at Allan Border Field. The team insiders are reporting that Wood will not be available for the day-night.

Test at The Gabba on Thursday. In his place, England is likely to summon Josh Tongue, who is currently with the England Lions squad in Canberra. Tongue has been performing well, partnering with Matthew Potts and Jacob Bethell in a tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI.

Fitness issues continue to haunt Wood

This latest injury adds to Wood’s long list of setbacks. Before the Perth Test, he hadn’t played red-ball cricket for England for 15 months due to elbow problems and knee surgery. Even in the warm-up game before this series, he experienced hamstring tightness, though scans ruled out any serious damage.

Despite failing to take a wicket in Perth, Wood remains central to England’s high-pace bowling strategy. His raw speed was a big part of England’s five-seamer attack, which delivered the fastest combined bowling performance in Test history on day one—though the intensity dipped on day two, helping Australia secure an eight-wicket win.

Why his absence matters even more

England’s track record in day-night Tests makes Wood’s injury even more worrying. They’ve won only two out of seven pink-ball matches, and none on Australian soil.

The Gabba has been another unhappy hunting ground. England haven’t won there since 1986, and conditions are known to favour Australia’s attack even more under lights. Add to that the presence of Mitchell Starc, arguably the best pink-ball bowler in the world, and the challenge becomes steeper.

The pink ball behaves similarly to the red one, but under lights it becomes harder to pick. Without Wood’s express pace, England now face the crucial second Test with a weakened attack—and a much tougher path to levelling the Ashes series.