Mark Wood has returned to the England setup for the Champions Trophy in June with the burning belief he can become one of the best fast bowlers in the world.

The 27-year-old Durham quick was named in the squads for the series against Ireland and South Africa, as well as the summer’s global tournament, in a bold selection that has seen Wood’s ability to bowl in excess of 90mph trump any doubts over an injury-ravaged career that has returned 20 caps out of a possible 85 since his debut in 2015.

Three bouts of ankle surgery during this time might have seen lesser characters question whether the fleeting highs, such as claiming the wicket that saw the Ashes regained during his first international summer or the searing spell against Yorkshire on T20 Blast finals day last year that had Joe Root hopping around in the crease, would be experienced again.

There have been testing times, such as missing England’s progress to the final of the World Twenty20 last year, but Wood has stayed chipper throughout thanks to encouragement from the management. The assistant head coach Paul Farbrace, in particular, has “constantly pumped his tyres up” – such that the right-armer, back bowling again for his county and recalled at the first opportunity, has set himself lofty goals.

“I have had a taste of international cricket and loved it – you can’t believe how good it is,” Wood says. “It’s like a drug and you just want more and more of it. I don’t think yet I have shown how good I can be, that’s been the frustrating side of it.

“When you start out playing for England you take so much in, like the intensity of the crowd, and you can perhaps push yourself too hard. I think I can appreciate it more now, coming out of injury, and I believe I can offer something different, be one of the best in the country and then go on to become one of the best in the world.”

Since breaking an ankle against Surrey last September in a win that theoretically kept Durham up only for the county to then be relegated for financial reasons, Wood has had a small piece of bone removed from the joint and has since worked tirelessly with the ECB’s fast bowling coach, Kevin Shine, and Neil Killeen at Durham, to tweak his delivery stride and prevent a repeat injury.

In an age when Twenty20 can provide a lucrative career for specialists, Wood’s heart still remains on having a full and rewarding Test career. To this end, cutting back on the pace to concentrate on swing and seam could be a temptation but the bowler sees no reason to compromise just yet.

Wood says: “It’s hard not to think about the Ashes this winter. The professional answer is to concentrate on the next game and all that but when you hear the stories from guys who have been on that tour it sounds unbelievable. That’s what I’m after.

“Test cricket is my ultimate [goal]. It might not be the most financially rewarding with all the T20 tournaments around but that is the mark of a true international fast bowler. That’s what I want to do, I want to be recognised as one of the best in the world.

“We have guys that can hit 90mph but if I do it on a regular basis at a skiddy trajectory that is what can make me different. I’d prefer to bowl high 80s with swing because swing can knock people out of the water and takes out their game – fast and straight, the best players line you up – but pace and being aggressive is a skill too, so I’d like to think I can do both.”

Wood’s return for the Champions Trophy, which begins against Bangladesh at the Oval on 1 June, means his fellow right-armer Steven Finn will miss out on a place in the squad. The selection is otherwise as expected and a sign of how England have developed a core group since the disastrous 2015 World Cup.

With Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler all allowed to play in the Indian Premier League until 14 May before an England training camp in Spain, the squad to face Ireland in two one-dayers starting in Bristol a week on Friday is slightly tweaked: Finn is included and Ben Duckett has been drafted in as the spare batsman.

Eoin Morgan, the captain, and Sam Billings will return from their IPL franchises and the latter is down to keep wicket ahead of Jonny Bairstow. How the Yorkshireman responds to this snub, given his reluctance to give up the Test gloves, remains to be seen. Buttler returns for the three one-day internationals against South Africa, starting at Headingley on 24 May, which act as warm-ups to the main event.

England squad for Champions Trophy and South Africa series

E Morgan (Middx, capt), M Ali (Worcs), J Bairstow (Yorks), J Ball (Notts), S Billings (Kent), J Buttler (Lancs), A Hales (Notts), L Plunkett, A Rashid, J Root (all Yorks), J Roy (Surrey), B Stokes (Durham), D Willey (Yorks), C Woakes (Warwicks), M Wood (Durham).

England squad for Ireland series:

E Morgan (Middx, capt), M Ali (Worcs), J Bairstow (Yorks), J Ball (Notts), S Billings (Kent), B Duckett (Northants), S Finn (Middx), A Hales (Notts), L Plunkett, A Rashid, J Root (all Yorks), J Roy (Surrey), D Willey (Yorks), (Warwicks), M Wood (Durham).