England are dealt MAJOR Mark Wood injury blow just months ahead of five-Test India series and Ashes tour Down Under

A ‘gutted’ Mark Wood is set to miss the showpiece five-Test series against India this summer after undergoing surgery on his left knee – and may not play for England again until the winter Ashes.

ECB medics had hoped that Wood – the world’s fastest bowler – would be out of action for no more than two months after suffering discomfort during England’s Champions Trophy defeat by Afghanistan in Lahore last month.

But following scans and an operation this week, his recuperation time has doubled to four, which means it will be late July until he can realistically bowl in a match again. The fifth Test against India starts at The Oval on July 31.

Assuming he is not fit in time, the injury-prone Wood, now 35, will have missed exactly 100 of the 137 Tests England have played since his debut in 2015.

His latest injury raises questions about the wisdom of allowing him back on the field against Afghanistan after he walked off just four overs into his spell for treatment on a knee niggle that had been troubling him for several months.

Following a discussion with the physios and management, he returned to bowl four more overs, but conceded 50 runs in all and looked in serious discomfort.

‘I’m gutted to be out for so long after representing England across all formats since the start of last year,’ he said.

‘But I’ve got every confidence that I’ll be back firing on all cylinders now that I’ve been able to sort my knee out.’

Wood is a central part of England’s hopes of hitting Australia with express pace in a bid to win back the urn, though his latest lay-off is a reminder of the fragility of those plans.