England have suffered a big blow as Mark Wood has been ruled out of the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka due to injury. Not just this, the right-thigh muscle injury sustained on the third day of the match is likely to keep Wood out of the second Test as well and could cast doubt on his availability for the remainder of the series.
Mark Wood's injury comes as big setback for England
Wood experienced discomfort after bowling his second ball of his 11th over, leading him to abandon his run-up. He immediately left the field, and Joe Root was called upon to replace him in the attack. Root quickly made an impact, taking the wicket of Milan Rathnayake with his second delivery.
An ECB statement released on Saturday morning confirmed that Mark Wood would not be able to continue playing in the Test match. He left the ground for a scan to assess the severity of his injury. While England hopes for a strain rather than a tear, it seems highly probable that Wood will miss the upcoming Test at Lord's. Given Wood's status as the world's fastest bowler, England may be cautious about risking his participation in the final Test at the Kia Oval, especially if the injury is more serious than initially feared.
Potential Replacements for Mark Wood
Olly Stone, who was initially part of the England squad as a reserve fast bowler, is likely to replace Mark Wood in the playing XI for the upcoming Test match. He has been released from the England squad to participate in a County Championship match for Nottinghamshire. Another potential addition to the England squad is Sam Curran. The allrounder is currently playing for Surrey in the County Championship and has recently taken a wicket in his first innings. Curran's inclusion would provide England with the all-round capabilities they have been missing since the injury to captain Ben Stokes.
England Struggle Without Wood
The absence of Mark Wood was evident as England, led by stand-in captain Ollie Pope, failed to take any wickets at the start of day four. Sri Lanka continued to bat confidently, with Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal extending their partnership and increasing Sri Lanka's lead to 153 runs before a rain break interrupted play shortly before lunch. Chandimal reached his half-century during this period.
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