Yahoo Sports England call up Hull after Wood ruled out of SL series
Mark Wood has been ruled out of England’s final two Tests against Sri Lanka, with 20-year-old Josh Hull called up in his place.
Wood, 34, pulled up with a thigh injury on day three of the first Test and played no part on Saturday, when England secured a five-wicket victory at Emirates Old Trafford.
A scan has ruled him out of the Test summer, but he is expected to be available for the tour of Pakistan in October.
Olly Stone was in the England squad for the first Test and is likely to take Wood’s place in the XI for the second Test at Lord’s, starting on Thursday.
Nottinghamshire's Stone, 30, is capable of high pace and has taken 10 wickets in his three Tests.
Leicestershire left-armer Hull earns his first call-up to a senior England squad despite playing only 10 first-class matches.
Standing at 6ft 7ins, he took five wickets for England Lions in their tour game against the Sri Lankans earlier this month.
“It was about half nine last night when I got the call from Brendon McCullum. It’s a very special moment,” Hull told BBC Radio Leicester.
“It’s come around pretty quickly. I didn’t think it would happen this fast, but I am really excited to be joining them.
“I was happy with how I performed [for England Lions] but I never thought it would lead to a call this early. They’ve got Olly Stone there as the first replacement, so it will be a great opportunity to join up and be part of that environment.”
Wood has been in electrifying form this summer, bowling at extreme pace in three Tests against West Indies and the series opener against Sri Lanka.
Since returning to the Test side during last summer's Ashes, Wood has established himself in England's first-choice XI.
Alongside Joe Root and Harry Brook, he was one of only three players handed a three-year central contract last year and is key to England's plans for the tour of Australia in 2025-26.
England's fast-bowling department has gone through significant upheaval in recent times.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson have both retired, while Ollie Robinson has been dropped.
Josh Tongue, Jamie Overton and Dillon Pennington are all injured, and Brydon Carse has served a ban for historical offences related to gambling.
Who is Josh Hull?
Analysis by BBC chief cricket writer Stephan Shemilt
There has been a buzz about Josh Hull ever since he made his Leicestershire debut last summer.
With height, lively pace and the ability to swing the ball, he is every inch a fast bowler, as if the cricketing gods have built a paceman from scratch.
If England are building an attack to give them as many options as possible, then a left-armer is something they are lacking. Hull’s first-class average of 58 is no indicator of a bowler that has been tearing up the County Championship, yet England have once again picked on attributes and potential, rather than domestic record.
For that reason, Essex’s Sam Cook can feel unfortunate. He was name-checked by managing director Rob Key when James Anderson retired. Cook’s first-class numbers are staggering, but he is not a like-for-like replacement for Wood, who is likely to be fit for the Pakistan tour in October.
If Hull plays, he will become England’s third-youngest seamer in Test cricket, behind Ben Hollioake and Sam Curran. England will not make change for change’s sake, but with two more Tests in two weeks and Chris Woakes struggling on Saturday, there is every chance.
