Almost all the IPL teams seem to be facing setbacks due to injured and withdrawing players. The IPL debutants Lucknow Super Giants is the latest franchise in the list, as their key player Mark Wood may withdraw from the league.
Lucknow Super Giants signed in the England pacer for INR 7.5 crores during the IPL 2022 Mega auction. However, his participation is currently in doubt due to an injury.
Mark Wood’s Injury
Wood was currently participating in England’s tour of the West Indies. His injury occurred during the present Test series between the West Indies and England. Mark Wood missed the final three days of the Antigua Test after inflicting an elbow ailment.
Mark Wood inflicted an injury in the right elbow during West Indies’ opening innings, according to sources. He could not engage in any more part in the first Test of the three-match series, which ended in a draw. The 32-year-old attempted to bowl in the nets before play began on the last day. However, he was limited to a handful of deliveries due to extreme pain.
When asked about Mark Wood’s injuries, England interim coach Paul Collingwood stated, “He’s in pain. We’ll go to Barbados, take a look at him, and see what he’ll be like for the rest of the season. A scan is a sensible option, there is an impingement there so I’m sure we will have further investigations. But since he did not bowl in the second innings, so it’s doubtful.”
England Players Pulling Out of IPL
It is worth mentioning that two England players have already withdrawn from the IPL in the last seven days. Jason Roy pulled out from the Gujarat Titans, while Alex Hales withdrew from Kolkata Knight Riders. Both of these players pulled out due to bio-bubble fatigue difficulties.
Earlier, former England fast bowler and broadcaster Steve Harmison confirmed the news on Wood’s injury. According to Harmison, Wood is ‘devastated’ as a result of the injuries. “He bowled a lot in Sydney, and I remember thinking that we’re going to need him later on. He simply kept bowling dead overs after dead overs,” Harmison remarked.
Mark Wood was England’s standout bowler during a dreadful Ashes series, taking 17 wickets at 26.64 in four Tests.
Endnote
Lucknow Super Giants did not respond yet to the news of Mark Wood’s injury. They also have not made a move to find a replacement for Wood yet. The team will be in a pinch if Wood decides to pull out of the league, as he is a key player for the team. Nevertheless, the Lucknow Super Giants will be looking to kick off their IPL campaign on a good note.
This will be the franchise’s first IPL appearance after being admitted into the league. Before heading into auctions, the squad kept KL Rahul, Ravi Bishnoi, and Marcus Stoinis. Furthermore, they bolstered their roster with the additions of Quinton de Kock, Jason Holder, and Avesh Khan, among others.
