Veteran England pacer Mark Wood is eyeing a return to Test cricket in the fifth and final Test match of the ongoing series against India as well. The pace spearhead is currently recovering from a knee injury and believes he could be match fit in time for the Oval Test, scheduled to begin on July 31 as well.

However, Wood sustained medial ligament damage to his left knee during the 2025 Champions Trophy, and he had to limp off the field mid-match as well. Then, he underwent knee surgery in March and was subsequently advised a four-month rehabilitation period, which ruled him out of the five-match Test series. However, Wood has made steady progress, and he is now hopeful of making a late appearance as well.

Speaking to BBC Test Match Special, Wood said, “Rehab is going well. I’ve just started bowling very lightly, so I’m officially on the comeback trail now.”

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“I’m hoping to still play a part in this series so I get to have a look at some of the players here who I might come up against. I’m still targeting probably the last Test. Anything before that is maybe a bit too soon. The last Test-I might not get there-but at the minute, that’s still my focus,” he again shared.

The fifth Test of the England vs India series will take place at The Kia Oval from July 31. To prove his fitness, Wood is likely to play in the County Championship match for Durham against Somerset, starting July 22 as well. Although his return would be a huge boost for England, the team management is not in a hurry to rush him back, especially with the Ashes coming.

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Notably, England’s pace attack has already been weakened by injuries in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with several bowlers sidelined, where Olly Stone and Jofra Archer are both in rehabilitation, with Archer likely to be available for the second Test as well.

“It’s been a bit slow to start with. I haven’t been able to do a lot, but it’s starting to speed up now. I’m getting some bowling in-hopefully not too much longer. I am still hoping that I can play a part right at the end of the series, but I’ll just wait and see,” Mark Wood concluded.