England fast bowler Mark Wood recently revealed about his experience in the IPL. Wood told of one particular incident where he was pressured by team owners to play in a match despite being ill.
Wood has had to deal with frequent injuries throughout his career, which have limited his ability to play in T20 leagues around the world.
key points
- Mark Wood reveals IPL boss motivated him to play when he was ill
- The owner offered him a private jet to join him
- Wood said he can’t get out of bed
- The incident was shared on a BBC podcast
Mark Wood claims team owner offered to send him two private planes
Wood was speaking on the BBC’s ‘Strategic Timeout’ podcast, describing his experience. He did not reveal the name of the owner, but said that the supremo was giving everything to play him.
“After about five games I wasn’t feeling well, and (the next) game was about three days later. Every half hour, the doctor would stop, come into my room, check my vitals.”
“I remember one day the owner called me, ‘How are you feeling? Ready to go?’ And I said, ‘Honestly, I haven’t eaten or drunk anything, I still can’t get out of bed.’ He went, ‘We’ll get you another doctor, we’ll do this and that’,” Wood revealed.
The fast bowler talked about how the owner had offered him two private planes – one for the game and one for the game – to help with his recovery.
“The next day, it’s the owner again, ‘How are you feeling?’, and I said, ‘Honestly, I’m still not good’. Then he said, ‘I’ll send a private plane, you get on the plane, play the game. Then I’ll bring the plane right back and bring you back to your bedside,'” Wood said.
Wood’s IPL career
Wood has played only two seasons in his IPL career and both have been for different teams.
In 2018, Wood joined Chennai Super Kings but played only one match for them. He conceded 49 runs in three wicketless overs, but most of the time he saw his team winning the title.
Wood’s second stint in the IPL came with Lucknow Super Giants in 2023. That season, he played 4 matches and took 11 wickets, including five wickets, and eventually left to attend the birth of his daughter.
Also read: Phil Salt injury update: RCB star returns home after finger injury for IPL 2026
Mark Wood’s current injury and future plans
Mark Wood has been out of action on the cricket field since suffering a knee injury during England’s disastrous Ashes series at the end of 2025.
He had surgery on his left knee early last year, but it seems it didn’t help.
On the same podcast he said that he was trying to be cautious and return to bowling for England later this year.
Across all three formats of international cricket, Wood has taken 253 wickets in 146 matches since his debut in 2015.
Mark Wood was part of England’s legendary white-ball team that won the ODI World Cup in 2019 and the T20 World Cup in 2022, making England the first men’s team to hold both World Cups simultaneously.
FAQ
- What did Mark Wood reveal about IPL?
He said that a team owner wanted him to play despite being ill. - What did the owner offer?
A private plane to travel to the match and return immediately. - Did Mark Wood reveal the owner’s name?
No, he did not reveal his identity.