Mark Wood undergoes surgery to tackle 'impingement issue' in right elbow
Fast bowler expected to be out of action until May at the earliest after successful procedure
ESPNcricinfo staff
27-Mar-2022
Mark Wood is expected to return to action for Durham in May • AFP/Getty Images
Mark Wood, the England fast bowler, has undergone elbow surgery in London to address an "impingement issue" that caused him to pull out of both the ongoing West Indies tour and the IPL.
Wood pulled up injured midway through the drawn first Test in Antigua, and was subsequently flown home early after complaining of "acute pain" in his right elbow.
News of the surgery, which took place on Saturday, was revealed by the bowler himself in an Instagram post, in which he was filmed emerging from theatre while still under general anaesthetic, and declaring that he had been "Ibiza chilled" throughout the procedure.
"No more boney fragments in my arm!" Wood wrote. "Thanks to Professor Roger van Riet and Mr Ali Noorani for sorting me out and all the staff who made me feel totally at ease.
"Langers, the England physio videoed me coming out of the anaesthetic - Bah, I talk some absolute rubbish!!!"
In an official statement, the ECB clarified that the procedure had involved removing bone and scar tissue to address an impingement problem, with a spokesman adding that no floating bone had been discovered.
Wood, England's fastest bowler, was their outstanding performer during their 4-0 defeat in the Ashes, maintaining a consistent 90mph-plus threat to claim 17 wickets at 26.64 in four appearances, including a career-best 6 for 37 in the final match at Hobart.
He managed just 17 overs and a solitary wicket in Antigua, however, before succumbing to the injury, which has also caused him to pull out of his INR 7.5 crore (USD 1 million approx) deal with Lucknow Super Giants in this year's IPL.
He will now commence rehabilitation with the ECB and Durham, and a date for his return to play will be established in due course. It is anticipated that he will return to light training next month, with a view to making a white-ball return to action during the Royal London One-Day Cup in May.
In Wood's absence, England's lack of cutting edge was made abundantly clear during the on-going third Test in Grenada, in which West Indies' lower-order were able to recover from 95 for 6 to 297, thanks to Joshua Da Silva's maiden Test hundred, and a 52-run tenth-wicket stand between Da Silva and Jayden Seales.