Joe Root Confirms Chris Woakes Ready to Bat Despite Shoulder Injury in 5th Test vs India
England's captain Joe Root has confirmed that all-rounder Chris Woakes is ready to bat if required on the final day of the fifth Test against India, despite suffering a shoulder injury earlier in the match. Woakes, who has not bowled or batted since the injury on Day 1, has shown remarkable determination to contribute if the situation demands it. England, chasing 374 runs to win the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, ended Day 4 at 339 for 6, needing just 35 more runs to clinch victory.
Root spoke highly of Woakes' commitment to the team. "You could see him in his whites in the dressing room. He's fully committed, just like the rest of us," Root said. "Clearly, he's in a lot of pain, but it speaks volumes about his character that he's willing to put his body on the line for England. If it comes down to it, hopefully he can get us across the line and win this incredible series."
Despite centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook, India managed to make the contest interesting by taking key wickets in the final session. Root and Brook's centuries seemed to set England on course for a series-clinching victory. However, India fought back strongly, causing a dramatic finish on Day 5. Jacob Bethell also fell to a poor shot, adding to England's late-match pressure.
England had been set to achieve its most audacious chase of the Bazball era, and the second highest in its history, with apparent ease. But its late stumble began when Brook threw his bat and wicket away against Akash Deep, skying a catch to mid-off. Brook's century in his 30th Test made him the fastest man to reach 10 hundreds in 70 years.
Brook had made India pay dearly for not getting him out on 19 before lunch, when Siraj caught Brook but stumbled back onto the boundary cushion. Brook rubbed salt into the wound by smacking 16 runs off Prasidh Krishna's over. About 20 minutes later, when lunch arrived, a still-sorry Siraj walked over to Krishna to hug him.
The jittery Bethell produced an ugly swipe to drag down his stumps, before Root was caught behind in a wicket maiden for Krishna (3-109), with the hosts still needing another 37 runs.
India's strong morning session set the stage for a thrilling finish. England resumed the day at 50-1 and managed only 37 runs in the first hour as the Indian seamers got the ball to nip around under London's grey skies. Ben Duckett, who lost his opening partner Zak Crawley to the last ball on Saturday, was uncharacteristically subdued, possibly still bothered by the hit on his glove by Krishna late Saturday. He still reached his fourth fifty of the series, though, with an edged four past gully. But the pressure from Siraj and Deep tempted him to go after Krishna and give up his wicket by edging to Lokesh Rahul at first slip. Duckett scored 54 off 83 balls.
The Oval lights came on, and Root was under fire, notably from Krishna, who unsuccessfully appealed for lbw. Reviews showed the ball clipping the leg stump. Pope unleashed three boundaries in an over against Krishna, but his second innings troubles returned when he was out to a Siraj nip-backer. Pope averages 46.69 in the first innings but 19.64 in the second innings. His 27 was his second-highest score in a fourth innings.