Woakes to come out to bat if needed, confirms Joe Root saying he had some throwdowns in here, and he’s ready.
‘He’s all in’ – Root says shoulder dislocation won’t prevent Woakes from batting.
On the last morning at The Oval, Chris Woakes can bat even though he may have a dislocated shoulder. Woakes is willing to “put his body on the line” after initially being unable to play the rest of the fifth Test match against India due to an injury he sustained while fielding on the opening day. On Sunday, he was seen in the changing room with his left arm in a sling.
After putting on his whites and practicing one-handed batting in the indoor school on Sunday, Woakes prepared to bat at No. 11 if necessary. In order to secure a 3-1 series victory on the fifth day, England has to win by another 35 runs with four wickets remaining. Joe Root stated that Woakes’ readiness to bat demonstrated his dedication.
“He’s all-in, like the rest of us,” Root, whose 105 set up England’s run chase, said. “It’s been that kind of series, where guys have had to put bodies on the line. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that. But he had some throwdowns in here (the indoor school) at one point, and he’s ready if needed… He’s desperate to do what it takes.”
Whether Woakes would try to bat right-handed, as Malcolm Marshall did in 1984, or turn to left-handed due to his injury, as Saleem Malik of Pakistan previously did, is still up in the air.
“I’m not sure,” Root said. “I’ve not seen him practice yet. You might get a better indication tomorrow if he has some throwdowns in the morning.”
Woakes will undergo additional tests following this game to receive a complete diagnosis, as England has not yet confirmed the nature of his injury. However, he is already a serious doubt for the first Ashes Test in Perth, which begins on November 21, and possibly the remainder of that series. He is also thought to be extremely unlikely to play again this summer.
“Clearly, he’s in a huge amount of pain having done what he’s done,” Root said. “It just shows, as we’ve seen from other guys in this series – [Rishabh] Pant batting with a broken foot, guys taking all sorts of blows here and there – but it means a huge amount to him.
“It just shows the character and the person that he’s willing to put his body on the line like that for England, and hopefully – well, hopefully he doesn’t have to, but if it does come to that – get us across the line and win us an incredible series.”