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England's fast bowler Mark Wood has stated he feels "quietly confident" of being fit for the first Test of the Ashes series down under.

The cricketer has been sidelined since a Champions Trophy defeat by Afghanistan in February and had an operation on a left knee injury in March.

The Champions Trophy and tour of India which came before marked his comeback after an elbow problem which sidelined him since August 2024.

"It was a frustrating summer," Wood explained. "I was unable to participate in any cricket and my knee sometimes, when it seemed I was nearly fit, it was not just quite there."

"I got knocked back on several occasions, but during the training camp it's been going well. I've had the speed gun out and the pace is getting up there."

The first match of the Ashes begins November 21st in Perth, with England seeking victory in their first Test series on Australian soil in over a decade.

"With luck, I'll be performing well, delivering effectively during warm-up matches and in net sessions, and can make my case for that game [Ashes opener]," Wood continued, whose last Test outing was against Sri Lanka over a year back.

"My recovery wasn't a straight curve, it's been a bit up and down, but now I'm in a better place and hope to push forward toward the match."

"I never want to give an answer claiming, 'I'm fully ready, I'm ready'. I'm in a confident place at the minute and feeling a lot more positive, so I'm cautiously hopeful."

Australia's Fitness Concerns

At the same time, Australia's concerns over the fitness of players have led to all-rounder Cameron Green being replaced by Marnus Labuschagne for the ODI series with India, beginning this weekend.

Australia already have doubts about the fitness of captain Pat Cummins, who's been absent since July because of lumbar bone stress affecting his spine.

"Cameron Green has been ruled out of the [India] series after suffering mild side discomfort during recent practice," the cricket board stated.

"He will undergo a brief rehab stint and is expected to be back to play in round three of domestic cricket to continue his preparation for the series."

Round three of the Sheffield Shield tournament is scheduled to start on 28 October.