Chris Woakes was effectively ruled out of the Oval Test on the first morning, a dislocated left shoulder leaving England a bowler down and, it seemed, a batter light. By Monday afternoon, with 17 runs still required to seal the series, the all-rounder re-appeared – arm in sling, jumper pulled tight across the chest – ready to bat one-handed if that was what the situation demanded.
“I honestly thought he was finished for the match,” former England quick Steve Harmison admitted on radio. “Woakes put his career on the line by coming out to bat.” The medical bulletin remains stark: the shoulder needs specialist assessment; the rest of his summer is over; the first Ashes Test in Perth on 21 November is already in doubt.
The Oval crowd rose as Woakes descended the Bedser Stand steps, glove-punching Gus Atkinson on arrival. A few Indian supporters recalled Rishabh Pant limping out in Manchester; the theatre felt comparable, albeit with England now playing the under-armoured protagonist.
Prasidh Krishna had just speared out Josh Tongue with a yorker. Atkinson therefore had to shield his senior partner from the strike. Even so, every run brought fresh torment. Woakes grimaced, tugged at the sling that slipped beneath the sweater and, after one scrambled bye, asked umpire Ahsan Raza to help re-fit his right glove. Siraj, frustrated that the shy at the stumps missed, barked, “Nahin bola tu?” at Shubman Gill – an exasperated, “Didn’t you tell him?”
Inside the England camp the decision to bat was taken only after an exploratory net session on Sunday. Gentle throw-downs were manageable; anything above throw-downs was not. Switching to a left-handed stance offered a solution: the damaged shoulder became the top, stabilising hand, set back from danger. Protection was improvised – two slim arm guards on the right arm, extra padding beneath the sweater on the left. Ben Davies, the team physio, virtually dressed him.
Woakes never faced a ball. Atkinson pinched singles where he could, eventually flaying the winning boundary and sparing his colleague further pain. The embrace that followed underlined what the moment meant. “We all know Chris is one of the most selfless blokes in the group,” Atkinson said later. “Just seeing him there gave me an extra gear.”
The wider context matters. England’s attack had been a bowler short since Thursday evening, forcing Joe Root to send down 17 overs of off-spin and Ben Stokes to stretch his own fragile body past the comfort zone. With the series on the line, the dressing-room sentiment was clear: if Woakes could function, even for a ball or two, he would try.
There will be debate about cricket’s substitution rules; any other sport would have removed an injured player without fuss. Yet Test cricket still operates on the oldest of covenants – once youʼre on the teamsheet, you stay there. The romance is undeniable; the welfare questions are equally obvious.
For England, the practical headache now shifts to squad planning. A dislocated shoulder, depending on severity, can require anything from six weeks’ rest to full reconstructive surgery. At 36, Woakes is candid about his future. “If this is the last time I pull on the cap, at least I went down fighting,” he told team-mates in private, according to dressing-room whispers.
National selector Luke Wright must weigh that sentiment against the bare numbers. Woakes remains England’s most reliable seamer in home conditions, his 202 wickets at 22.44 reflecting metronomic new-ball skill. But Perth in late November is no place for a half-healed joint.
Harmison, asked whether sentiment should play a role, kept it simple. “Pick him if he can lift his arm above his shoulder. If he can’t, you can’t.” Few would argue.
For now, Woakes has earned a rare slice of public appreciation. Social media brimmed with good-will, fans praising a cricketer often overshadowed by louder personalities. Teammates spoke of a quiet leader. Even rival captain Rohit Sharma called the gesture “proper gutsy”.
England bank the victory, 3-2 the final margin, confidence restored after a wobbly start to the summer. Woakes will seek clarity from the surgeon. The rest of us are left with the final image: a solitary figure, bat in right hand, left arm strapped tight, ready to do whatever Test cricket still occasionally demands. Imperfect, stubborn, and in its curious way, rather beautiful.
