Mark Wood believes England are entering the upcoming Ashes series with “more confidence” compared to their last trip to Australia.

England lost the series 4-0 when they went Down Under at the end of 2021, which led to the appointment of the current leadership combination of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

England have not won the Ashes since 2015, while they failed to succeed in Australia since 2011, losing the last three tours by a margin of 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0, respectively.

However, Wood, who returns from injury for the series, is confident England can cause an upset this time around as they follow an “Australia blueprint”.

“I can truly say there’s a quiet confidence within the group,” Wood told the Guardian.

A total of 30 players have been awarded England Men’s Central Contracts – comprising 14 Two-Year Central Contracts, 12 Annual Central Contracts, and four Development Contracts