England fast bowler Mark Wood has admitted he is unsure whether he will be fit for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, adding to concerns over England’s pace resources for the remainder of the series.

Wood, 35, returned for the first Test in Perth after knee surgery but continues to battle through recovery issues, leaving his participation in doubt. His express pace is seen as a critical weapon for England, particularly after their eight-wicket defeat in Brisbane. Speaking during the second Test at the Gabba, Wood revealed he is more likely to feature later in the series than in Adelaide, with the Test scheduled to begin on December 17.

“I think there’s a chance there, but more realistically, it’s probably Melbourne and then Sydney. I need to get out of this brace first to get moving around.”

Wood underwent surgery on his left knee earlier this year and spent 15 months out of Test cricket. He bowled 11 wicketless overs in Perth before missing the Brisbane Test due to continued discomfort. He has since been using a brace and pain-relief injections, emphasizing the strain of maintaining speeds above 90mph/145kph at his age.

“Throughout my career, I’ve tried to show resilience and keep coming back, pushing to bowl faster and faster, but I’m getting older now. I don’t know if my body is coping like it used to but I’ll keep trying. I pride myself on running in for the team and being a good team man. I hope I can get this right and charge in again.”

Wood confirmed he is taking his recovery day-by-day. Running workloads are expected to resume soon, followed by a gradual return to bowling.

“Later in the series is what I’m aiming for. I’ve had a couple of injections and I’m resting up, hopefully I can build back into bowling again.”

He also acknowledged the psychological toll of repeated setbacks, describing the mental battle as tougher than the physical one. The fast bowler has endured a long injury history, including knee and elbow issues, and bowled only eight overs in the Ashes warm-up due to hamstring tightness before being cleared for Perth, where he finished with figures of 0-44.

Despite the uncertainty, captain Ben Stokes has backed Wood throughout the tour, saying he would do “everything” to stay available.