England’s Mark Wood may face a prolonged absence due to injury despite England’s strong performance in the Ashes. Joe Root’s exceptional unbeaten century in Australia’s Gabba stadium propelled England to a commanding position on the first day of the second Test match.

Root’s impressive 135 not out, along with contributions from Zak Crawley (76) and Jofra Archer (32 not out), led England to a total of 325-9. Despite Australia’s occasional successes, the day belonged to Ben Stokes’ team.

However, concerns arose off the field regarding Wood’s knee injury. The fast bowler, initially ruled out for the second Test, might also miss the upcoming match in Adelaide following a discouraging update on his condition.

Wood, who returned to Test cricket after a 15-month absence, expressed uncertainty about his return before Christmas. The 35-year-old mentioned the possibility of missing the Adelaide Test and targeting a comeback in Melbourne or Sydney.

Having struggled with injuries throughout his career, Wood watched the action from the changing room in Brisbane while still wearing a knee brace. His absence led to Will Jacks replacing him in the lineup.

Former England captain Michael Atherton highlighted the significance of Wood’s injury setback, noting its potential impact on England’s pace strategy in the Ashes series. Australia’s Mitchell Starc excelled with the ball, taking 6-71 with the pink ball.

In a strategic shift, England opted for spin bowler Jacks in Brisbane to provide additional batting depth. Fans can catch all the Ashes action live on TNT Sports via discovery+ or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.

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