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Mark Wood has retired from international cricket at 36 after medical advice ruled out any return to Test or 50-over cricket for England
The Durham fast bowler announced his decision on Tuesday, closing a career that brought 253 wickets in 146 internationals and winner's medals at two World Cups. A recurring left knee problem, first suffered at the 2025 Champions Trophy, decided it for him.
Wood has not played for England since the opening Test of the last Ashes series in Perth in November, when he broke down after 11 overs. His central contract expires this month.
"I've made the decision to retire from international cricket. Although this may not come as a surprise given the past year, it just feels like a natural time at the end of my contract," Wood said in his retirement statement.
Wood damaged the knee during the 2025 Champions Trophy and underwent surgery, an operation that kept him out of the game for eight months.
He returned for the first Ashes Test at Perth last November, on a surface chosen with his pace in mind. "I was desperate to play Perth because it was the fastest wicket there," he told Sky Sports.
The knee swelled again after 11 overs and he flew home for treatment, missing the rest of the series. He did not appear for England again.
"I've always tried to be resilient and come back from injury to prove people wrong and show everyone what I can do. Unfortunately this time I lost the battle," Wood said. "On medical advice, Test cricket and 50-over cricket are not possible, so the England dream has slowly been ground out of me over the last year."
Wood took 18 wickets across the 2019 World Cup as England won the tournament on home soil, the first 50-over title in their history.
Three years later he claimed nine wickets in four games as England added the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
His first major honour had come earlier still. In his debut summer in 2015 he took the wicket that sealed the Ashes at Trent Bridge, and he went on to play four Ashes series.
Wood finished with 119 wickets at 30.79 in 38 Tests, 80 at 40.82 in 70 ODIs and 54 at 20.24 in 38 T20Is.
The raw figures understate the job he was asked to do. Wood was picked for speed, regularly clocking above 95 mph, and was used in short, hostile spells rather than as a workhorse.
"I tried to bowl every ball like it was my last and as fast as I could," he said.
"Playing for England has been the greatest honour I could have ever wished for and a dream come true," he added.
Rob Key, managing director of England men's cricket, framed Wood as a bowler who turned matches rather than one who simply accumulated wickets.
"It's been a privilege to watch the latter part of a great career. To have been a point of difference in Ashes series wins, two World Cup wins, and to have thrilled crowds every time he got the ball in his hand is something very few players achieve," Key said.
"He can look back with enormous pride on a career very well spent," he added.
The medical advice rules out the longer formats but not T20, and Wood is expected to keep playing that format for Durham and in franchise leagues.
"I hope I can continue playing cricket in some capacity and pursuing other challenges," he said.
One of those begins at once. Wood joins the Sky Sports commentary team for England's first one-day international against Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground, his county's home, on the same day his international career formally ended.
Wood leaves as one of the fastest bowlers England have produced, undone in the end by the body that had to carry that pace.
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