England's pace ace Mark Wood is targeting a return to bowling later this summer as he battles back from the knee injury that cut short his Ashes campaign—and he knows this might be his last shot.

The 36-year-old Durham quick, one of the fastest bowlers England has ever produced, underwent surgery on his left knee in March 2025. He managed just 11 overs in the first Test against Australia in Perth before being ruled out for the rest of the series. It was a heartbreaking blow for a player who had already spent 15 months on the sidelines with elbow and knee issues before that match.

"I need to take it slow," Wood told the BBC's Strategic Timeout programme. "Realistically I've got maybe one more chance at doing this right. If I rush it back, then it's not good—that could be it. I'm still trying to get back to bowling, hopefully later on in the summer."

Wood has played 38 Tests for England, but only one since August 2024. Despite the frustration, he remains laser-focused on adding to his 146 caps across all formats. "You've got to keep your eye on the prize, which is ultimately trying to get to playing for England," he said. "It's mega frustrating. It's been a long time, over a year since I had the initial surgery. To build it back up for seven months to play one game, and then be out again takes its toll."

His absence comes during a period of major change in England's pace bowling lineup. If Wood is unable to return to Test cricket, he would join James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Chris Woakes in departing the longest format—a significant shift for a team that has relied on these four mainstays for years.

Wood admitted he has started thinking about life after cricket if this latest rehabilitation doesn't go well. But for now, the man who can crank the speed gun past 95 mph is keeping his sights set on one thing: getting back on the field and wearing the Three Lions again.