England might have to cope without the services of injured pace bowler Mark Wood for an extended period as they made a strong comeback in the Ashes series. Joe Root’s exceptional unbeaten century, his first in Australia, propelled England to a dominant position on the first day of the second Test match at The Gabba.
Root’s outstanding innings of 135 not out led England to a total of 325-9, with Zak Crawley contributing 76 runs and Jofra Archer chipping in with 32 not out. Despite some positive moments for the Australian team, the day belonged to Ben Stokes’ squad.
However, there was concerning news off the field regarding Wood’s injury. The fast bowler, who was initially ruled out for the second Test due to a knee problem, may also miss the upcoming match in Adelaide after providing an update on his condition.
Wood, who bowled 11 wicketless overs in the first Test in Perth, expressed uncertainty about returning before Christmas, hinting that he might aim for the Test matches in Melbourne or Sydney instead of Adelaide due to his ongoing recovery.
The 35-year-old, plagued by various injuries in his career, made his first Test appearance in 15 months in Perth following an elbow issue. He was seen wearing a knee brace on the first day in Brisbane, observing the game from the changing room. Wood’s absence led to spin-bowling allrounder Will Jacks replacing him in the playing XI.
Former England captain Michael Atherton noted the significance of Wood’s injury setback, emphasizing the impact of his absence on England’s pace strategy in the Ashes series. The team made a tactical adjustment in Brisbane by including spinner Jacks for added depth in both bowling and batting.
In response to Root’s stellar performance, Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc shone with figures of 6-71 from 19 overs using the pink ball.
The Ashes series commenced on November 21, with live coverage available on TNT Sports via discovery+ or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.