Chris Woakes is ruled out of the Oval decider against Team India due to a shoulder injury sustained on Day 1. His condition will be assessed post-series, dealing England another blow as they push for a series-clinching win.
The England cricket team has been dealt with major blow ahead of Day 2 of the ongoing fifth and final Test of the series against Team India at the Oval in London on Friday, August 1. Pacer Chris Woakes has been ruled out of the remainder of the Oval decider with an injured shoulder sustained on Day 1 of the series final.
Woakes sustained a severe shoulder injury when he attempted to dive to stop the ball by the boundary off Karun Nair’s down-the-ground drive in the 57th over of India’s first innings. After saving the runs for England, Waokes was seen lying on the ground holding his injured left shoulder, and immediately called for medical attention from the team’s physios.
Woakes was seen in severe pain, using the sweater as a makeshift sling for his injured shoulder, suspected to be a dislocation, and walked off the field. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum were looking in agony in the dressing room, in what was seen as a major blow for England, who are currently leading 2-1 in the five-match Test series.
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Woakes’s injury to be assessed at the end of the Test series
The England Cricket team released a short statement on Chris Woakes’ further participation in the ongoing Oval decider, which will decide the fate of the series.
Taking to their social media handle, England Cricket confirmed Woakes’ unavailability for the remainder of the Test match at The Oval, adding that his injury will be assessed at the conclusion of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. Therefore, the pacer’s severity of shoulder injury has not been disclosed yet.
“A further assessment will take place at the end of the series,” England Cricket wrote on X.
Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury and his subsequent ruling out of further participation in the Oval Decider is another major blow for England, who are aiming to clinch the series after wins at Headingley and Lord’s, and a draw at Old Trafford.
Skipper Ben Stokes suffered a tear in his shoulder muscle sustained in the final of the Manchester Test and was ruled out of the Oval decider, as team management did not want to risk him with an injured shoulder.
Team India will look to dominate on Day 2
Meanwhile, Team India posted a total of 204/6 in 64 overs, with Karun Nair and Washington Sundar batting on 52 and 19, respectively, alongside a crucial unbeaten 51-run stand for the seventh wicket at the end of Day 1.
England opted to bowl first after stand-in skipper Ollie Pope won the toss. The first two sessions of the opening day of the series decider were interrupted by rain, but England's bowlers made good use of the overcast conditions, reducing the visitors to 85/3. After a long Tea break, England put India under immense pressure by further reducing them to 153/6 in 49.3 overs.
However. Karun Nair and Washington Sundar’s crucial partnership prevented the visitors from further collapse and took the team past the 200-run mark before the close of Day 1 play.
Nair and Sundar will look to build on their partnership and take India to a commanding position on Day 2 of the Oval decider. Additionally, Jasprit Bumrah-less pace bowling attack will hope to make early inroads, with Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja in charge of the attack.
