Ben Stokes spoilt for choice so Mark Wood expects limited Ashes role for England

The Durham quick was England’s leading wicket-taker with 17 dismissals as the tourists succumbed to a 4-0 defeat in Australia in the 2021-22 Ashes series.

Wood has only played three internationals in the red-ball arena since that humiliation against England’s old foes, in an attempt to manage his workload after repeated injury issues.

James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson continue to impress under captain Stokes in coach Brendon McCullum’s side. England could also call on the likes of Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Sam Curran, Saqib Mahmood, Chris Woakes and the fit-again Jofra Archer.

With such depth of bowling talent, Wood acknowledged there is little chance of him playing all five Tests against Australia in the home series that starts on June 16 at Edgbaston.

“I will definitely not play all five [Ashes Tests],” Wood told reporters in Chattogram, where he is away touring with England’s white-ball team against Bangladesh.

“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 [McCullum] want me to play.

“More than likely, with the bowling stock we have, especially at home, I probably won’t even play four. They might even want me for one or two, if they need a pace element.”

The frontline trio of Anderson, Broad and Robinson again combined well in the recent 1-1 Test series draw with New Zealand, in which England suffered a dramatic one-run defeat in the decisive second meeting.

“[Stokes] might want to mix it up to keep people fresh, but if people are playing well, I might not play any,” Wood added, acknowledging the quality of his bowling partners.

“I very much doubt, from the way they have managed me, [that I will play] four. If they want three or four, I will put my hand up.”

“IT’S WARM!” ????

Dhaka ✈️ Chattogram

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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 4, 2023

Wood was afforded a two-month break before the tour of Bangladesh to recover both mentally and physically.

The 33-year-old heads to the Indian Premier League with Lucknow Super Giants after England’s ongoing white-ball series, before the Ashes, a set of limited-overs fixtures and the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India follow.

“With my record, I might get [through] two of them,” Wood said.

He added: “I’ve done interviews in the past where I’ve said, ‘Of course I’m thinking about the Ashes in the background’, [but] I’m actually not.

“There’s so much going on before: we’ve got this, the T20s, the IPL and then the Ashes after that.

“I’ve got the birth of my daughter in between that, so it’s going to be a massive time, I’m not really thinking that far ahead.”