England pacer Mark Wood has expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of teaming up with fellow speedster Jofra Archer during the upcoming Ashes series, though he acknowledged that both must first prove their fitness and form to secure spots in the Test XI.
Both fast bowlers are on the comeback trail from injury layoffs. Wood has been recovering from a knee injury he sustained during England’s loss to Afghanistan in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, while Archer recently made his red-ball comeback after four years, featuring in a County Championship match for Sussex against Durham.
Archer is reportedly in contention for England’s second Test against India at Edgbaston, starting July 2. Meanwhile, Wood, currently contributing as a radio commentator during the ongoing India series, revealed he is targeting a return for the fifth Test at The Oval, which begins on July 31.
“I still have that hope,” Wood told Sky Sports. “We are running our own race a little bit. Jofra is ready to go now; I still have a bit to go. There are plenty of other bowlers in the mix, so it’s not a given that it will be the two of us.”
Wood emphasized the importance of collective strength over internal rivalry among England’s pace options. “We don’t want to make it feel like a competition between us. We want to be part of a strong, well-rounded attack that can do damage against India and, eventually, Australia,” he added.
Looking ahead to the Ashes, Wood expressed confidence that if both he and Archer reach peak form, they could provide a serious challenge to Australia’s elite pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood.
“We’ve got to be at our maximum – bowling 90mph plus – and offering something different to the captain and the team. There are no automatic selections here. We both need to earn our places,” he said.
Wood also underlined the excitement of heading to Australia with a pace-heavy squad, something England hasn’t often managed in recent Ashes tours. “Australia have had a stable, high-quality pace attack for years. It would be exciting for us to go with our own formidable unit and try to match them. That freshness could be a game-changer,” he concluded.
