If needed, injured Woakes ready to bat for England today, says Root

Khaleej Times

8 hours ago

Following a gripping day of Test cricket interrupted by bad light and rain at The Oval, England batter Joe Root said that all-rounder Chris Woakes is available to bat despite his shoulder injury on the fifth day of the match.
Woakes injured his shoulder while fielding during the first day of the Test. While later England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a statement about him not taking any further part in the Test match. But he practiced batting one-handed in an indoor school on Sunday and changed to his whites during the evening session, preparing himself to bat at number 11 if needed.
England need 35 runs, while India needs four wickets to win and level the five-Test series.
Speaking ahead of the series' final day during the post-day presser, Root said, "He's all-in, like the rest of us. It has been that kind of series, where guys have had to put bodies on the line. Hopefully, it does not get to that. But he had some throwdowns in here [the indoor school] at one point, and he is ready if needed... He is desperate to do what it takes."
England have not confirmed the specifics of Woakes injury and he could go for further scans after the match for a full-fledged diagnosis. He is considered unlikely to play for the rest of the Test summer and looks in doubt for the Ashes first Test at Perth from November 21, and potentially the rest of that series, given his poor record in Australia.
Speaking further on Woakes' commitment to bat, he said, "Clearly, he is in a huge amount of pain having done what he has done. It just shows, as we have 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.
"It just shows the character and the person that he is willing to put his body on the line like that for England, and hopefully - well, hopefully he does not have to, but if it does come to that - get us across the line and win us an incredible series," he added.
Speaking on the Test getting its finish delayed to the final day, Root said that it has "pros and cons" for both teams.
"The guys (Indians) had bowled a lot, there were overs in their legs. You get back out there and you get a couple of boundaries away, and all of a sudden the game looks very different again. But then again, you come back tomorrow, you get another roller, you can rest up, and it is a completely new opportunity. I think for both teams there are pros and cons, it is just how it has fallen," he said.
"But there is not really much you can do as a player, really. You just sit and wait and do what you're told. From our point of view, come back and we have an amazing spectacle to look forward to."