Mark Wood has been spending his time on the sidelines of England's Test campaigns against West Indies and Pakistan perfecting a new delivery in an attempt to boost his armoury when he returns to action.

Wood has not played since the first Test against West Indies at the Ageas Bowl in early July, when he finished with match figures of 2 for 110.

Despite bruising his foot while training in Manchester, scene of the last two Tests against West Indies and the first against Pakistan, Wood said he would have been able to play in ongoing match, back in Southampton, if selected.

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"I'm trying to work on some wobble seams at the moment," Wood told Sky Sports. "When you're learning something new, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

"You feel a million dollars when you get it right, but when you don't quite get it you keep trying to strive for perfection, I guess, so something I'm working on and something that hope that I can use in a game soon."

Wood may have been keen to experiment in Southampton, with the ball moving plenty under heavy, damp skies. Fellow quick Stuart Broad told Sky after rain had hampered play for a second day in a row on Friday that he had "a clear game plan to try and wobble the ball and hit the stumps as much as possible".

Joe Root said at the toss that Sam Curran had won selection ahead of Wood for the second Test against Pakistan as England looked to boost their batting in Ben Stokes' absence. He added that Wood would be given another week or so to reach peak fitness ahead of the third and final Test.

"It was fine really," Wood said. "I bruised my foot at Old Trafford because one of the practice pitches, the foot holes were a little bit bad and bit hard. A little bruise underneath my foot but I was training before the game here and fine for the match."

With a long and unfortunate history with injury, Wood credited experience and an understanding coach in Chris Silverwood with helping him to manage his body better.

"Three ankle ops, knee surgery, countless injections, I think it does take its toll, " Wood said. "The hardest thing is obviously when you have to pick yourself back up and think, 'right, rehab again, get myself back,' and you've got to have that sort of resilience and determination as a fast bowler."

Wood also said he had become more accepting of sitting out games.

"I think having Chris Silverwood as a head coach, a fast bowler himself, understanding how you feel, honest conversation with things like maybe, 'I'm not feeling my best this game'," Wood said.

"There's been games in the past where I shouldn't have played and I've actually done myself harm, the team harm, but because you don't want to lose your spot, you end up playing, and you don't then do yourself justice.

"Now I've got a much better understanding of myself, my body, and I'm much more mature in the fact that I can go to the head coach and say, 'I'm not sure my body can stand up to it today'."