{"id":603380,"date":"2025-11-30T13:05:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-30T13:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/603380\/"},"modified":"2025-11-30T13:05:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T13:05:15","slug":"three-ways-england-can-replace-mark-wood-against-australia-in-second-ashes-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/603380\/","title":{"rendered":"Three ways England can replace Mark Wood against Australia in second Ashes Test"},"content":{"rendered":"

BRISBANE \u2014 England\u2019s hopes of getting back into the Ashes hinge on the result of this week\u2019s second Test in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

Following their two-day defeat in Perth, the day-night match at the Gabba, a ground where England have not won since 1986, will not be easy, especially as Australia have 13 victories from the 14 pink-ball Tests they have played.<\/p>\n

It is why Ben Stokes and his squad, heavily criticised<\/a> for not decamping en masse to Canberra for the two-day practice match against a Prime Minister\u2019s XI over the weekend, started their practice in Brisbane six days out from the second Test.<\/p>\n

Yet both teams have plenty to think about when it comes to selection ahead of Thursday\u2019s start.<\/p>\n

Here, The i Paper takes you through the key questions\u2026.<\/p>\n

Will Mark Wood play again in this series?<\/p>\n

\"CricketJoe Root insists Mark Wood will do \u2018everything he can to be ready\u2019 (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n

It emerged over the weekend that Wood will miss Brisbane after suffering pain in his left knee during and after the Perth Test in which he bowled just 11 overs. <\/p>\n

The 35-year-old fast bowler did not train on either Saturday or Sunday and has been filmed by local media wearing a brace on the left knee he had surgery on last March and which ruled him out for the entire English summer. <\/p>\n

It is to be hoped this is nothing too serious and he can play in next month\u2019s third Test at Adelaide. <\/p>\n

But Joe Root didn\u2019t sound overly upbeat when talking about Wood on Sunday, saying: \u201cHis spirits are good, you know he\u2019ll do everything he can to be ready as quickly as possible. We\u2019ll just have to wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Who replaces him for Brisbane?<\/p>\n

If England want to replicate the five-man pace attack that worked so well during Australia\u2019s first innings in Perth, it would seem likely that Josh Tongue comes in for Wood. <\/p>\n

Yet Tongue, one of three players from the Ashes squad released to join the Lions for that Canberra match, went wicketless<\/a> during his 16 overs against the PM\u2019s XI. <\/p>\n

Might Matthew Potts, who took 2 for 40 from 16 overs in the same match, be a better option? <\/p>\n

There is also a chance England could opt for a spinner in Brisbane, in which case Will Jacks, whose batting would strengthen the lower order from No 8, would be a serious consideration to replace Wood. <\/p>\n

There should be no other changes from the XI that lost in Perth.<\/p>\n

\nEngland\u2019s predicted XI to face Australia in second Ashes Test<\/p>\n