Mark Wood ruled out of third Test against India due to shoulder injury
Ahead of the third Test between England India at Headingley, English pace bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the game, due to a shoulder injury. Earlier, the 31-year-old sustained the injury while diving to save a boundary on the fourth day of the second Test against India at Lord’s.
England pacer Mark Wood joined the list of injured pace bowlers on the English side after he was ruled out of the upcoming Test against India. With Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes already missing the series, due to some injury or the other, and Ben Stokes missing out after having taken an indefinite break, England are under further pressure with Wood also ruled out of a crucial fixture.
The pace bowler was impressive against India in the second Test at Lord's, especially in the second innings where he provided the Three Lions with early breakthroughs. Wood provides the X-factor of bowling regularly in excess of 90mph. Even after sustaining the shoulder injury, he had bowled at full tilt on the fifth day, which had left one and all surprised.
After the second Test, the team's head coach Chris Silverwood had stated that the team will look after Mark Wood.
"He is a bowler who can hit 90mph-plus, so I've got to look after him. Honestly, it's massively important that we look after Woody", Chris Silverwood had said after the defeat at Lord's, reported Skysports.
The confirmation of Wood’s exclusion will open doors for young pacer Saqib Mahmood, though he will be competing with Craig Overton for a place in the playing XI. Mahmood had impressed everyone during the white-ball series against Pakistan and has high chances of featuring in the Leeds Test.