"I will definitely not play all five" - Mark Wood on this year's home Ashes series
England speedster Mark Wood revealed that he expects a limited workload during the Ashes series at home in June. The right-arm paceman admitted to experiencing exhaustion after playing four Tests in the previous Ashes leg.
Wood, currently in Bangladesh for the limited-overs series, has been one of the chief architects behind England's recent dominance across formats. The Durham pacer played a significant role in England's T20 World Cup victory and their 3-0 Test series sweep in Pakistan.
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Speaking to reporters in Chattogram, Wood claimed that while he is unlikely to play all five Tests, he may do so if Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum call for it. The 33-year-old reckons that the management might use his express pace sparingly.
As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he stated:
"I will definitely not play all five. I was delighted to play four out of five in Australia. I was knackered, wrecked, exhausted but that was a big tick in my box to say that in a big series, I can do it, if Stokesy or Baz want me to play. I probably won't even play four. They might even want me for one or two, if they need a pace element."
England haven't held the Ashes urn since the 2015 leg, losing two out of the last three series. However, they will hope to regain it this time around, given an improved display in Test cricket in the last nine months.
"It was lovely, to be honest" - Mark Wood on his prolonged break
Wood, who was given a break after the tour of Pakistan and the T20 World Cup before returning to play in Bangladesh, reckons that the time off has enhanced his longevity. However, he would never turn down the chance to play for England, adding:
"It was lovely, to be honest. To be able to spend time at home and not think about cricket for a little bit was really nice. It's made us hungrier when I've come back in. The breaks have helped prolong me a bit more than previous years, when I've tried to play everything."
"I am never going to turn down the chance to play for England: if they want me I will be there and trying my best, but if they decide to rest us, I get it and will be gearing up for the next one."
England have already wrapped up the three-game ODI series in Bangladesh, with the final game taking place on Monday.