ENG vs IND 2018: England Star Mark Wood Suffers Injury Scare Ahead Of Tests

Few days ahead of the first Test against India, England fast-bowler Mark Wood suffered an injury scare on Sunday (July 22). The right-arm pacer was was forced off the field on the first day of Durham’s County Championship match at Cheltenham.

He bowled his first spell of six overs against Gloucestershire before leaving the field when he suffered discomfort in his heel. Wood will be competing with allrounder Chris Woakes for a place in the playing eleven when England takes on India in the five-Test series.

The injury was later diagnosed as trapped nerve. Wood returned to the field later on but his participation was limited to only fielding. According to reports, he is likely to be fit to bowl on Monday if his services are required.

An integral part of England’s ODI setup, Wood has already made it clear that he wound consider playing Tests over any other format. A spate of injuries has never allowed Wood to enjoy a prolong stint in international cricket. The 28-year-old won the Ashes in his breakthrough summer of 2015. However, earlier this month, he made his intentions clear.

“Test cricket is still the pinnacle for me to play. And the moment I let that dream go I might not be the same cricketer,” he had said. “In the garden, I always played Tests. I always watched Tests on the telly. I’m not saying there aren’t good players playing white-ball cricket. But, if you’re regarded as a top, top player, it’s often through your Test performances. I want to play Test match cricket.”

So far, Wood has played only 12 Tests in three years. The reason behind it are the three major operations on his problematic left ankle.  Not surprisingly, everyone expects him to cut his workload and concentrate on white-ball cricket ahead of the World Cup. But Wood seems to have made his mind up.

England stars warming up for Tests:

Meanwhile, Wood’s England teammate Ben Stokes made his presence felt with the ball. The allrounder picked up 3 for 40 as Gloucestershire finished day one on 315 for 7. In another game, Woakes failed to make an impact, going wicketless in Warwickshire’s Division Two fixture versus Middlesex at Lord’s.

Stuart Broad also failed to get any wicket for Nottinghamshire against Surrey. Veteran pacer Jimmy Anderson took one for 38 in the first innings of the Roses contest at Old Trafford. Ahead of the Test announcement Mooen Ali also made all the right noises. The spinner, who lost his place to Jack Leach in New Zealand earlier this year, claimed three for 56 for Worcestershire.