Mark Wood could be sidelined for three to six months if he undergoes more ankle surgery © Getty Images
Mark Wood, the Durham and England bowler, could be in danger of missing the 2016 international summer after suffering a setback in his rehabilitation from ankle surgery.
Wood flew home early from England’s tour of the UAE in November to undergo an operation on his left ankle, but was forced to pull out of his scheduled comeback for Durham’s second XI against Scotland, which gets underway at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday.
After suffering from more pain during pre-season training, a scan last week revealed Wood was suffering from inflammation in the joint, and a cortisone injection does not appear to have resolved the issue either.
Wood is scheduled to visit a specialist in the Netherlands today. A Durham spokesman told ESPNcricinfo that a further update on his recovery would be made after he has undergone further assessment in London later this week.
If Wood is obliged to undergo further surgery, the recovery time is expected to range between three and six months, which would rule him out of any involvement in the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka, and make the limited-over series against Pakistan – which gets underway at the end of August – the likeliest target for an international comeback.
Wood, who played the most recent of his eight Tests against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi in October, was an important member of the England team that won back the Ashes last summer, claiming ten wickets in four Tests, including four in each of England’s wins at Cardiff and Trent Bridge.
However, Wood himself has faced up to the increasing likelihood of surgery, admitting last week: “At some point, the back of my ankle will need to be operated on, that has been made pretty clear to me by England.
“It would be the worst possible time, the worst possible feeling, the worst possible everything, but I would have to take it on the chin.”
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo