England all-rounder Chris Woakes has spoken for the first time about his courageous decision to bat with a dislocated shoulder on the final day of the fifth Test against India, a move that captured the hearts of cricket fans worldwide. Woakes, who suffered the career-threatening injury on the first day of the match, said he felt a deep “duty” to his team and the fans and never considered staying in the dressing room, despite the excruciating pain.
A Team Effort Beyond the Individual
With England nine wickets down and needing 17 runs for a win that would secure a 3-2 series victory, Woakes emerged from the pavilion with his left arm in a sling, tucked inside his sweater. The moment was one of the most emotional of the series, drawing a standing ovation from the crowd at The Oval, including many Indian supporters.
“You just know you’re part of something bigger,” Woakes told The Guardian. “It’s not just you that you’re playing for out there. It’s your team and your teammates, all the hard work and the sacrifices they put in, the people watching at home and in the ground. You just feel a duty to do it for everyone.”
He admitted he is “still gutted, devastated really, that we couldn’t get the fairytale” win, but his determination to go out to bat was unwavering. “I never considered not going out there, even if it had been 100 runs still to win or whatever,” he stated.
Practicing One-Handed and a Moment of High Drama
Woakes revealed that he began practicing batting one-handed with assistant coach Marcus Trescothick on the fourth day. They found that a left-handed stance was the only way to protect his shoulder and allow him to “sort of block with my top hand in control.”
The all-rounder’s bravery was put to the test when he had to take a run. “The first one was the worst,” he said. “All I had taken was codeine and it was just so sore. Instinct took over here – even with my arm strapped down I tried to run as you naturally do. I genuinely worried my shoulder had popped back out again.” The moment of panic was visible to everyone as he threw off his helmet and ripped off his glove to check his arm.
Ultimately, Woakes did not face a ball as his batting partner, Gus Atkinson, was dismissed, sealing a dramatic six-run victory for India and a 2-2 series draw.
A Message from Rishabh Pant
Woakes’ act of bravery was reminiscent of Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant, who batted with a broken foot during the fourth Test. The mutual respect between the players was evident, with Indian skipper Shubman Gill commending Woakes’ courage.
“Shubman said something like: ‘That was incredibly brave,'” Woakes recalled. He also shared a heartwarming exchange with Pant. After Woakes saw that Pant had posted an image of him with a salute emoji on Instagram, Woakes thanked him. Pant responded with a voice note, saying, “I hope all is OK, good luck with the recovery and I hope we meet again out there some day.” Woakes added, “I obviously said sorry for the broken foot.”
Reflecting on the injury itself, which occurred during a slide on the first day, Woakes admitted he feared the worst. “I heard a pop and knew I was in trouble,” he said. “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 it career done?’ It was a horrible place to be.” Woakes is now awaiting further scans to determine the full extent of the injury.