Mark Wood has decided to hang up his international cricket boots, with the England fast bowler retiring from international cricket because of a serious knee injury.
After being out of Test cricket for 15 months because of injuries, 36-year-old England fast bowler Mark Wood returned in the first Ashes Test against Australia in Perth in November 2025. He had previously suffered from a right elbow injury and later a serious left-knee injury.
Wood bowled 11 overs in the Perth Test but soon developed swelling and pain in his left knee. Australia went on to defeat England by eight wickets in that two days.
The knee problem then forced Wood to miss the second Test in Brisbane, and he was later ruled out of the rest of the Ashes series. The setback was a major disappointment for Wood, who had worked hard to return to Test cricket after a long period on the sidelines.
Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket presenter and commentator Ian Ward, Wood said, “I’ve never really had that, I love playing cricket, I love playing for England, that’s been something I’ve felt really strongly about and proud to do. But I’ve had a lot of injuries.
“I’ve always found a way where I’ve believed I’d come back and had that resilience where I’m going to come back again, or I’ll be better, or I’ll prove somebody wrong again, but this time it’s just ground me down really.
“Plus the contract situation. My contract ends in September, and I think it just feels like the right time.
“I never really wanted to give up England, but the lads that are coming through are doing a fantastic job and the news should be about the lads going to get their contracts and I can just focus on other things.”
Wood made his international debut for England on May 8, 2015, in an ODI against Ireland in Malahide. Later that month, he made his Test debut against New Zealand at Lord’s, and in June 2015 he played his first T20I, also against New Zealand.
Wood played 38 Tests for England and took 119 wickets. He also played 70 ODIs, taking 80 wickets, and 38 T20Is, taking 54 wickets. He took 253 wickets in international cricket across the three formats.
Wood was part of England’s World Cup-winning team in 2019 and their T20 World Cup-winning team in 2022.
