England call up Hull after Wood ruled out of SL series

England accelerated bowler Mark Wood has been ruled retired of nan remaining 2 Tests against Sri Lanka pinch a thigh injury.

Wood, 34, near nan section connected time 3 of nan first Test, which England won by 5 wickets, and did not vessel astatine each connected nan last day.

Leicestershire seamer Josh Hull has been called up to switch Wood successful nan squad pinch nan 2nd Test starting astatine Lord's connected Thursday.

Hull, 20, impressed for nan England Lions earlier this period by taking 5-74 successful Sri Lanka's only warm-up match.

Wood, who regularly clocked speeds complete 90mph during nan first Test, is simply a cardinal constituent of England's Test broadside arsenic they look up to nan Ashes successful Australia successful 2025-26.

The gait onslaught astatine Lord's is apt to beryllium led by Chris Woakes, pinch Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone and Hull nan different seam options successful nan squad.

Analysis by BBC main cricket writer Stephan Shemilt

There has been a buzz astir Josh Hull ever since he made his Leicestershire debut past summer.

With height, lively gait and nan expertise to plaything nan ball, he is each inch a accelerated bowler, arsenic if nan cricketing gods person built a paceman from scratch.

If England are building an onslaught to springiness them arsenic galore options arsenic possible, past a left-armer is thing they are lacking. Hull’s first-class mean of 58 is nary parameter of a bowler that has been tearing up nan County Championship, yet England person erstwhile again picked connected attributes and potential, alternatively than home record.

For that reason, Essex’s Sam Cook tin consciousness unfortunate. He was name-checked by managing head Rob Key erstwhile James Anderson retired. Cook’s first-class numbers are staggering, but he is not a like-for-like replacement for Wood, who is apt to beryllium fresh for nan Pakistan circuit successful October.

If Hull plays, he will go England’s third-youngest seamer successful Test cricket, down Ben Hollioake and Sam Curran. England will not make alteration for change’s sake, but pinch 2 much Tests successful 2 weeks and Chris Woakes struggling connected Saturday, location is each chance.