Ashes 2025-26: Injury scare for England as star pacer leaves warmup match with hamstring stiffness

New Delhi: Star England fast bowler has suffered a massive injury setback ahead of the first Ashes Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday, November 21.

Captain Ben Stokes has picked up six wickets in the warm-up match, but fast bowler Mark Wood suffered hamstring stiffness against England Lions at Lilac Hill Park in Perth. He bowled eight overs and conceded 29 runs before leaving the field.

He was playing his first game since having knee surgery in March and is set to undergo precautionary scans on his left hamstring. There is an expectation that Wood will resume bowling in two days.

"He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow. He is expected to bowl again in two days' time. It is unlikely he will return to the field today," the ECB said in a statement.

Stokes played his first match after a shoulder injury in July and picked up six wickets in 16 overs as the England Lions posted 382 runs from 79.3 overs on a batter-friendly surface. Jofra Archer, who has played just two Test matches in the last four years, picked up one wicket.

The return of Stokes to the bowling would be a huge relief for the visitors as they need the star all-rounder fully fit for the five-match Test series. England batter Harry Brook talked about Wood's injury and said that it's not ideal for the pacer, but that's part of being an extremely fast bowler.

Archer, Wood, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue were named as part of England's pace attack for the warm-up match, with Stokes adding extra firepower.

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Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.