London, UK: In an extraordinary display of courage and determination, England seamer Chris Woakes, despite having been ruled out of the fifth Test with a dislocated shoulder, walked out to bat one-handed during the final, tense moments of the match. With England needing just 17 runs for victory and the dressing room a scene of high drama, Woakes appeared with his left arm in a sling, ready to face the Indian bowlers.
Woakes, who sustained the injury while diving in the field on Day 1, will see a specialist this week to determine the full extent of the damage. He will not play again this summer and his participation in the Ashes Test in Perth on November 21 is in serious doubt.
As he hobbled to the crease, with his left arm tucked into his jumper, the moment was reminiscent of Rishabh Pant’s own heroic effort, batting with a fractured foot in the previous Test in Manchester. This act of sheer grit added to the incredible drama of the series finale.
A Painful but Valiant Effort
Mercifully, Woakes did not have to face a ball, as Prasidh Krishna yorked Josh Tongue with the final ball of the 83rd over. However, even watching from the non-striker’s end caused him significant pain. He grimaced after every run, and at one point, had to ask the umpire for assistance after his sling came loose while scampering for a bye.
Woakes’ decision to bat highlights a unique aspect of cricket, where injured players can’t be substituted. Having been ruled out of “any further participation” three days earlier, he had gone to the nets to practice batting one-handed with his left arm in a sling. He used a left-hander’s stance to keep his injured shoulder as far away from the ball as possible, and needed help from the team physio to get padded up.
The final moments of the game saw him in immense discomfort, wincing with every run and having to get assistance from the umpire to re-adjust his gear. His heroic effort, however, was ultimately in a losing cause as Mohammed Siraj bowled Gus Atkinson to seal a thrilling six-run victory for India.
Praise for Woakes’s Bravery
After the match, both England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes praised Woakes’s bravery. “Good on Woakesy,” McCullum told the BBC. “It was never in doubt for him that, if needed, he was going to walk down the stairs and try to get us across the line.”
Stokes, who himself missed the Test with a shoulder injury, highlighted the series as a testament to the resilience of the players. “We’ve had Rishabh going out to bat with a broken foot, Bash [Shoaib Bashir] going out there bowling – and batting and fielding – with a broken finger. Then we go to Chris out there today… Everyone’s left a lot out on the ground for their countries.”
For Woakes, this could be a fitting, if sad, final act in an England shirt. At 36, and now with a potentially serious injury, his Test future is uncertain, particularly with the Ashes looming. However, his selfless act of courage has solidified his reputation as a player who has given everything for his team throughout his 200-plus international appearances.
