🔗 Share this article English Fast Bowler Mark Wood Expresses Quiet Confidence for Ashes First Test The bowler has been absent from Test cricket since August 2024. The English fast bowler Mark Wood has stated he feels "quietly confident" about his fitness for the opening match of cricket's greatest rivalry down under. The cricketer has been sidelined since a Champions Trophy defeat against Afghanistan last winter and had an operation for a knee issue in March. The Champions Trophy and India series which came before was the 35-year-old's return after an elbow problem that had kept him out for many months. "The summer was disappointing," Wood explained. "I was unable to participate in any matches and my knee, at times, when it seemed I was nearly fit, it was not just quite there." "I got knocked back a couple of times, but in the tent [training camp] progress has been positive. We've used the radar gun and the pace is getting up there." The opener of the Ashes starts on 21 November in Perth, with England seeking victory in their initial series win on Australian soil in over a decade. "Hopefully, I'm in form, bowling well during warm-up matches and in the nets, and can make my case for that game [Ashes opener]," added Wood, whose last Test outing was against Sri Lanka over a year back. "My recovery wasn't a smooth process, it's been a bit up and down, but now I'm in a better place and hope to push forward for that game." "I avoid making statements where I say, 'I'm fully ready, I'm ready'. I'm in a confident place currently and more optimistic, so I'm quietly confident." Australian Fitness Concerns At the same time, worries for Australia over the fitness of squad members have led to all-rounder Cameron Green making way for Marnus Labuschagne for the ODI series with India, which starts on Sunday. Australia already have concerns over the condition of captain Pat Cummins, who's been absent since July because of lumbar bone stress in his back. "Green is unavailable of the [India] series after suffering mild side discomfort during recent practice," Cricket Australia said. "He will undergo a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return to play in round three of the Sheffield Shield to further prepare for the series." The third round of the Sheffield Shield tournament is scheduled to start October 28th.