'I'm struggling, need another operation' - Mark Wood on ongoing injury woes

After experiencing a setback upon his return, England pacer Mark Wood stated that he may need another treatment on his elbow. The 32-year-old has been out of the English squad ever since he suffered an injury during the West Indies in March this year.

He was unable to participate in the IPL, where he was set to play for the Lucknow Super Giants. He participated in club cricket for Ashington on July 16, which served as an unofficial fitness test, but Wood did not recover well after the game.

“I’m struggling to be honest. I need another operation, unfortunately. I played that club cricket game for Ashington, which was basically a test. The ECB got me to play that game to see how it was,” Wood told Sky Sports during the broadcast of England’s first ODI against South Africa.

“I’d been bowling well for two or three weeks in the nets, but when it came to the match, it wasn’t so much during the game but the day after. So my elbow is really sore now, and I’m struggling to fully straighten it again. So there must be something going on. It’s weird because my ankle feels like a real injury, this doesn’t feel like a real injury to me, my elbow, it’s just been a nuisance,” he added.

Want to be fit for the T20 World Cup: Mark Wood

Wood now faces a tight deadline to have a second surgery and finish the necessary therapy before the 2022 T20 World Cup, which is set to begin in Australia in mid-October. The 2010 winners are already lacking a number of fast bowlers due to injuries, and if Wood’s recovery does not happen in time, then he might join Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, and Saqib Mahmood.

“I’ve got to get it sorted right now if I want to be fit for the T20 World Cup, which is the goal. It’s just been so frustrating when I’ve done everything I could, listened to all the experts and done what they’ve said. To not get over that final hump is so frustrating,” he concluded.