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L-R: Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and England fast bowler Mark Wood in action. (PHOTO: REUTERS)
The all-important Ashes 2025-26 will see two express pacers miss out on the last three Tests of the series as Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and England’s Mark Wood have been ruled out of the remainder due to injuries.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that England ace pacer Wood has been ruled out of the Ashes tour following a recurrence of the left-knee injury he sustained during the first Test in Perth earlier this month. ECB confirmed in a press release that Wood will return home later this week and work closely with the board’s medical team on his rehabilitation and recovery.
Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher has been added to the England squad as a replacement for Wood and will link up with the team later this week. Fisher is in Australia with the Lions.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia (CA) have also provided an update regarding the fitness of their two fast bowlers. While Hazlewood, who sustained a hamstring strain while bowling in the Sheffield Shield last month and then suffered a setback when he hurt his Achilles last week, is out of the entirety of the Ashes, skipper Pat Cummins looks certain to be back in the field for the home side for the Adelaide Test after missing out on the first two Tests at Perth and Brisbane.
Australian head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Tuesday that Hazlewood would not feature against England, with the experienced pacer now aiming to be fit for Australia’s T20 World Cup tilt in February.
“Really flat for him,” McDonald told reporters on Tuesday. “A couple of setbacks that we didn’t see coming. We thought he’d play a huge part in the series. But really feel for him that he won’t get that opportunity.”
McDonald also revealed Mitchell Starc had battled a left side niggle at the Gabba but was in no doubt to be fit for Adelaide.
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