The image of Chris Woakes taking his place at the non-striker’s end while holding the bat with one hand, with the other in a sling, ended up becoming one of the many enduring ones from India’s five-Test series in England. Woakes announced his decision to retire from international cricket on Monday and among the many tributes he got was from India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who called him “one of the bravest to ever walk the field” with a picture of him walking out to bat on that day at the Oval.
Woakes has now revealed that the fact that this may have been his last act as an England player occured to him shortly after he sustained the injury on Day 1 of what turned out to be an epic fifth Test at the Oval. “Definitely, there was a part of me that thought then that this could be my last act in an England shirt,” Woakes said on Sky Sports.
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“When my shoulder was in the wrong place and you’re walking off at that moment, immediately you’re thinking about the game, and thinking you’re not going to play any further part. And then once things calm down a little bit, and you get the shoulder back in place, I suppose you start to then reflect and think, ‘Actually, this could be potentially be my last act in an England shirt.'”
Woakes said that while the prospect of facing a pumped Indian pace attack led by Mohammed Siraj was “slightly terrifying”, he never doubted his decision to walk out. “I would’ve never been able to live with myself if I’d have said no… It just wouldn’t have sat right with me. It felt the right thing to do, and I’m sure everyone [else] would’ve done the same.”
He ended up never having to face a delivery but he did put up a stand of 10 runs off 13 balls with Josh Tongue for the last wicket. Woakes could be seen wincing with pain every time he ran between the wickets. He may have been contention for England’s squad for the Ashes had he been fit. However, Woakes’ recovery timeframe ruled him out of the early part of the series, thus leading to him not being considered for selection at all.
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