Leeds: Chris Woakes marked his return to red-ball cricket with an impressive three-wicket haul for the England Lions on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against India A. However, the experienced pacer was denied further breakthroughs by a resilient and technically sound century from KL Rahul, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 116.
Woakes dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Karun Nair—all LBW—to make early inroads into the Indian top order. The performance comes as a promising sign ahead of the England-India Test series this summer, with Woakes recently named in England’s squad for the first Test at Headingley.
Praise for KL Rahul
Woakes acknowledged the challenge posed by Rahul on a pitch offering consistent movement:
“KL played really well, good hundred, on a wicket which did a little bit all day. There were periods where it was a bit quiet, but it was doing something for most of the day,”
he told ESPNcricinfo after the day’s play.
On India Without Kohli and Rohit
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli having retired from Test cricket, KL Rahul stands as the most senior Indian batter on this England tour. Speaking on their absence, Woakes noted:
“It’s always good to come up against strong opposition going into a Test series that you know is going to be hard-fought. We’ve had some good battles against Virat and Rohit over the years. For the game itself, it’s a shame they won’t be there.”
Yet, he added that India’s depth remains formidable:
“Indian cricket has so much depth, the players who will come in, I’m sure will be of a very high standard, who have proven themselves some way or the other.”
‘Ticked Box’ for Woakes on Return
Woakes expressed satisfaction with his ability to bowl extended spells and return to form following his injury layoff:
“I enjoyed all three [wickets] to be honest. I felt like I could have a couple more, but pleased with how the ball came out. Most important for me was to get through 17 overs. Ticked box for me.”
His standout moment was the dismissal of Jaiswal with a trademark inswinger that trapped the young opener in front.