England has lost one of the players who could have clawed it back into the Ashes

The Ashes could very well be over after England was dealt a key injury blow to one of its key players.

The man who turned the last Ashes at this point is on his way home.

England speedster Mark Wood is set to return home prematurely to rehabilitate another knee setback.

Wood played in the first Test after a long lay-off with previous knee troubles but will miss the remaining three Tests after re-injuring himself in that match in Perth.

Wood, capable of bowling in excess of 150kmph, turned the 2023 Ashes in England when he was added to the side after the first two Test matches.

England says Wood will return home later this week and work with the medical team but at age 35, his future in the red-ball format is under significant doubt.

Matthew Fisher, from Surrey, has been added to the senior squad having played with the English Lions this summer.

Mark Wood was wearing heavy strapping in Brisbane. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Wood’s exit from the series comes just days after England went down 2-0 to Australia in Brisbane.

England will need to win the remaining three Tests to regain the Ashes but it has not won a singular match here since 2010-11.

Wood’s partner quick, Jofra Archer, bowled a blistering spell to finish the Gabba Test but was met by strong Steve Smith resistance.

Archer’s spell in the second innings – regularly hitting 150kmph – followed a mundane first-innings effort.

It created mass debate about whether Archer was trying hard enough after he was able to turn the speed dial up on demand when the game was over.

The effort in vain prompted Smith to say, “You bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion”.

Australia was dealt a similar blow earlier in the day when Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the remaining three Tests.

Hazlewood was in splendid form before the summer but was sidelined with hamstring and flow-on relating injuries before the first ball was bowled.

Originally published as England has lost one of the players who could have clawed it back into the Ashes