Chris Woakes ruled out of 5th Test against India: Details
What's the story
In a major setback for England, fast bowler Chris Woakes has been ruled out of the ongoing fifth Test against India at The Oval. Woakes suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder while fielding on Day 1. He was chasing a ball headed for the boundary when he dived to keep it in play but fell awkwardly on his shoulder and cried out in pain. Woakes had dismissed KL Rahul before leaving the field.
Injury assessment
ECB releases statement on Woakes
After the incident, Woakes was treated by physios and taken off the field with just a few minutes left before stumps on a rain-affected opening day. An inspection by England's medical team confirmed that he would not be able to participate in any further action in this Test match. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released a statement on Friday, saying they will continue to monitor Woakes throughout the match at The Kia Oval.
Impact of injury
England left with inexperienced bowling attack
Woakes's absence from the match leaves a major gap in the England bowling attack. This is especially true after some inconsistent performances from Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton. Gus Atkinson, who has just returned from a hamstring issue dating back to May's one-off Test against Zimbabwe, will now be the most senior member of the attack in this context in just his 13th appearance for England.
Career implications
Concerns over Woakes's future in international cricket
At 36 years old, Woakes's injury raises questions about his future in international cricket. He has been a regular feature in England's bowling attack throughout the five-match series against India, finishing with 11 wickets at 52.18. It must be noted that Woakes and India's Mohammed Siraj are the only fast bowlers to feature in all five games of the ongoing series. However, this injury could jeopardize Woakes's participation in the upcoming Ashes series in Australia.