ISLAMABAD: England spearhead pacer Mark Wood is doubtful for the opening match of the historic Test series against Pakistan due to a hip injury, foreign media reported.
According to the details, Wood sustained the injury amid England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign which forced him out of the semi-final against India and the final against Pakistan.
Despite Wood’s rehabilitation reportedly going well, it is improbable for the pacer to gain enough fitness to prepare himself for the rigours of a Test match with only three training days left before the series begins on December 1.
The right-arm pacer, however, is accompany England’s squad, scheduled to step foot in Pakistan to play a historic series after a gap of 17 years. England Test captain Ben Stokes also confirmed that Wood’s absence from Abu Dhabi’s leg of training – where they played a training match against England Lions – had nothing to do with the latter’s injury and in fact, Wood, alongside Harry Brook was given time off at home due to excessive workload.
