Mark Wood has shared an unusual account from his time in the Indian Premier League, detailing how a franchise owner attempted to arrange a private jet to get him to a match despite him being unfit to play. Speaking on the BBC Strategic Timeout podcast, the England pacer reflected on a moment that stood out during his limited appearances in the tournament.
He said, “I’ll give you a story which wasn’t fun. I wasn’t very well. After about five games, I’d picked up an illness there, and the next game was about three days’ time. So every half an hour, the doctor who had stayed back would come to my room, take my vitals, and try to get me right.”
Pressure builds as recovery window narrows
He added, “I remember one day, the IPL team owner was ringing me and he was like, ‘How are we feeling? Are we ready to go?’ I was like, ‘Honestly, I’ve ate and drank nothing. I can’t get out of bed still.’ And he was like, ‘Well, I’ll tell you what we’ll do. We’ll get another doctor. We’ll give you this, we’ll do that.’”
The situation escalated as efforts to accelerate his recovery intensified, with multiple interventions aimed at making him available for selection within a tight timeframe.
Private plane offer highlights extreme measures
He continued, “Next day, he’s like, ‘How are we feeling? What’s the update again? How are you feeling?’ I was like, ‘Honestly, I’m still not good. I haven’t had anything.’ And he was like, ‘But I’ll tell you what, I will send a private plane. You get on the plane, play the game, I’ll get the plane straight back out, and you can get back to your bedside.’”
The proposal, which involved flying him in and out for a single match, underlined the lengths the franchise was willing to consider in pursuit of on-field availability.
Moment of humour amid concern
He said, “So I rang my dad and I was like, ‘Dad, they’re going to send a private plane.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, but how do you feel?’ I was like, ‘Honestly, if I stand up, I feel not well. I could, you know, faint.’ He was like, ‘You’re not right.’ But I was like, ‘Dad, it’s a private plane’ (laughs).”
Reflection on a surreal experience
He noted, “For that split second, I was like, ‘This is the coolest thing that’s probably ever happened to me in my life. This is unbelievable.’”
Wood ultimately did not take part in the match, opting against travel as he continued his recovery. His IPL career has remained limited, featuring in five matches across stints with Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, making the episode one of the more memorable off-field moments from his time in the league.
