England Bowler Mark Wood Out for Year Due to Elbow Injury

England's fast bowler Mark Wood will be sidelined for the rest of the year due to an elbow injury. The ECB revealed Wood's plans to return in early 2025. Wood, who injured his right thigh recently, was surprised by the diagnosis but remains optimistic about his recovery.

England fast bowler Mark Wood will be out for the year with an injured right elbow, both the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the player confirmed on Friday.

Having injured his right thigh during last month's first test against Sri Lanka, Wood was previously ruled out from the remainder of the series. A medical check-up later revealed bone stress in his elbow.

'I was shocked,' Wood wrote on Instagram. 'I'd put that down to the normal niggles every fast bowler gets and which I was playing through. I'm especially surprised because I've been playing test cricket and kept my speeds up.'

With 119 wickets from 37 tests, Wood will miss England's test tours of Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December, according to an ECB statement. 'He aims to return to full fitness by early 2025, in time for England's white-ball tour of India and the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, scheduled to begin in February 2025,' the ECB added.

Wood, 34, remains hopeful about his recovery, stating he has been down this path before. 'See you for some rockets in 2025,' he wrote.

(With inputs from agencies.)