‘I’ll send a private plane!’: Mark Wood amused by bizarre IPL offer during illness
Mark Wood recounted a bizarre IPL offer: a franchise owner proposed a private jet flight for a match despite Wood being seriously ill. The owner insisted on Wood playing, even suggesting a quick flight out and back. Wood, though tempted by the novelty, ultimately declined, prioritizing his health over the surreal proposition.
England fast bowler Mark Wood has shared a remarkable and humorous story from his time in the Indian Premier League, revealing how a franchise owner once offered to fly him on a private jet just to ensure he played a match — despite being seriously unwell. Speaking on BBC’s Strategic Timeout podcast, Wood recalled falling ill midway through a season after featuring in a handful of matches. What followed, he said, was an extraordinary level of attention from the franchise, including constant medical monitoring.
“I wasn't very well after about five games, and the (next) game was in about three days' time. Every half an hour, the doctor would stay back, come to my room, check on my vitals,” Wood said. The situation soon took an unusual turn when the team owner personally reached out to check on his availability.
“I remember one day the owner ringing me, ‘How’re you feeling? Ready to go? ’ and I said, ‘Honestly, I've eaten and drunk nothing, I still can't get out of bed’.
He went, ‘We’ll get you another doctor, we’ll do this and that’,” he revealed. ‘I’ll send a private plane’ Despite Wood’s condition, the owner remained determined to have him feature in the game — so much so that he offered an eye-popping solution. “Next day, it’s the owner again, ‘How are you feeling?