- By Namrata Vijay
- Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:19 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND vs ENG 5th Test: England's star bowler Chris Woakes was praised by the experts for the way he came out to bat bravely during the fifth and the last Test match against India at the Oval, which they lost by six runs, and the series ended in a 2-2 draw. Woakes, whose shoulder got dislocated when he was fielding on the fourth day and had also come out to bat on Day 5, where Mohammed Siraj took the last wicket of the host.
He might not have taken the team across the line that day, which would have helped them win the series, but instead got a standing ovation from the fans for the courage he had shown when he came out to bat with his one arm inside a sling.
After the Test series ended, Woakes opened up on this brutal injury, which resulted in his left shoulder getting dislocated.
“We chase down every run. That has always been the way. As a bowler, you respect guys trying to save every run. It means a lot to you. So you kind of do the same for the team," Woakes was quoted as saying to the Guardian.
“And a tight game like that one – just six runs the difference – kinda shows how they all add up. The outfield was wet from the rain, almost greasy, and my hand slipped as I landed, and my full body weight went through my shoulder. I heard a pop and knew I was in trouble," he added.
Woakes also talked about the negative thought that came into his mind after he had dislocated his shoulder and was getting treatment for the same.
“The pain came on pretty quickly, and my arm was just hanging there. It was grim, and my thoughts were racing. ‘Is it game over? Is the career done?’ It was a horrible place to be. We got it into a makeshift sling with my jumper and got off the field," he said.
He also heaped praises on the work done by the medical team to reduce the damage.
“It is a horrible feeling, your shoulder not where it should be, and worrying it might never get back in. It felt like three hours, but the medical staff were amazing. I had this vape pen thing, which tasted rank but took the edge off, pain-wise. First, we tried lying flat on my front on the bench and letting the arm hang down to do it. But the pain was too much to get into position," he further said.
Woakes also talked about the minute the medical staff had acknowledged the injury, and how his pectoral muscles had acted up, and the way the painful process was repeated so that they could put his shoulder back into the socket.
“In the end, it was just a case of lying on my back and Anita gradually straightening my arm and trying that way. We thought we had it in with a ‘clunk’, but then my pectoral muscle spasmed and rejected it. That was horrendous. Another 10 minutes or so, with her knee in my armpit, there was another ‘clunk’ and it was back in place properly. It hurt, but there was such a feeling of relief with it, too," he concluded.