England cricket team star Chris Woakes is ready to brave through injury and bat for the team if needed on Day 5 of IND vs ENG 5th Test, his teammate Joe Root confirmed. The pacer sustained a shoulder injury while fielding during the 1st innings following which he did not bowl or bat. However, Woakes was spotted in his whites on Day 4 with a sling in the England dressing room, looking like he was ready to come out and bat if the team required him to.
Woakes to fight shoulder injury to bat for England if needed
Speaking to reporters after stumps on Day 4, Root confirmed that Woakes was ready to put his body on the line and come out to bat if the situation demanded. The ex-England captain said that the fast bowler had faced some throwdowns in the indoor school and that he was desperate to do what it takes to ensure England get across the line to clinch the series 3-1.
“He’s all-in, like the rest of us. It’s been that kind of series, where guys have had to put bodies on the line. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that. But he had some throwdowns in here [the indoor school] at one point, and he’s ready if needed. He’s desperate to do what it takes,” Root said.
Woakes won’t be the first individual to brave through an injury to come out and bat for his team in this series. Earlier in IND vs ENG 4th Test at Old Trafford, Rishabh Pant came out to bat and scored a gritty fifty despite suffering a fractured toe. Root admitted that Woakes was in huge amount of pain but was inspired by Pant’s heroics to come out and bat.
“Clearly, he’s in a huge amount of pain having done what he’s done. It just shows, as we’ve seen from other guys in this series – [Rishabh] Pant batting with a broken foot, guys taking all sorts of blows here and there – but it means a huge amount to him,” Root added.
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