Massive boost for England as pacer Mark Wood returns to nets after knee surgery
New Delhi: In a massive boost for the England cricket team, star pacer Mark Wood was seen practicing in the nets on Friday after a successful knee surgery. The hosts are without star pacer’s Jofra Archer, Wood among others in the Test series against India which started from the first Test match at Headingly Leeds on Friday.
The 35-year-old pacer looks sure that he will make a return in the Tests against India this summer maybe being fit in time for the fifth and final match which begins on July 31 in London. Wood was expected to miss the entire five-match series after the surgery in March but the quick on Friday seemed to be confident of his return to the longest format.
On BBC’s Test Match Special, the English quick said that he has just started bowling very lightly and is confident of his comeback soon.
‘I have just started bowling – very lightly – but I am on the comeback trail now officially,’ Wood said. ‘I am hoping still to play a part in this series. I am still targeting maybe the last Test. Anything before that is probably a bit too soon. The last Test I might not get there but at the minute that is still my focus, that I might play a part.’
Wood’s ability to bowl quick deliveries makes him an asset for the English team which went into the first Test match without him and many other ace pacer’s. Archer, who was supposed to participate in the series after a successful IPL suffered an injury during the last phase which ruled him out of the first Test. He is though expected to join the team in the second Test match in Birmingham.