Chris Woakes' Heroic Final Stand Caps Off Dramatic England-India Series

In a stirring display of courage and commitment, Chris Woakes may have played his final act in international cricket in extraordinary fashion, walking out to bat one-handed with a dislocated shoulder in England's nail-biting six-run defeat to India at The Oval.

Ruled out of “any further participation” in the fifth Test just three days earlier, Woakes stunned fans and teammates alike by emerging from the dressing room with his left arm in a sling, determined to help England chase the remaining 20 runs in the fourth innings. Despite not facing a ball, Woakes’ mere presence at the crease became a symbol of grit and sacrifice.

The injury, understood to be a dislocated shoulder sustained during a fielding dive on Day 1, will keep Woakes sidelined for the rest of the summer. He is also a major doubt for the opening Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. England’s management has yet to confirm the full extent of the damage.

Though spared the strike after arriving at the crease—thanks to Gus Atkinson shielding him from the bowling—Woakes still endured visible pain, grimacing with each run and requiring assistance from umpire Ahsan Raza after his sling came undone during a quick single. At one point, he had to remove his glove and helmet to realign his injured arm before requesting help to get his gear back on.

England’s physio Ben Davies helped him prepare for the unexpected role, with Woakes improvising his protection: two arm guards on his right arm and as much padding as possible on his left, which was secured under a jumper. He had trialed the possibility of batting in the indoor nets the day before, opting for a left-handed stance to shield his damaged shoulder from the ball.

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj expressed frustration after Woakes managed a bye, exclaiming “Nahin bola tu?” (“Didn’t you tell him?”) in response to a missed run-out opportunity. But Woakes had bigger concerns—fighting through each moment in clear distress as the match hung in the balance.

The drama ended with Siraj bowling Atkinson in the 85th over, securing a series-leveling win for India and ending Woakes’ 16-minute stand. After the final wicket, Indian players made a beeline for Woakes, acknowledging his courage and sacrifice.

England head coach Brendon McCullum praised Woakes’ spirit, saying, “Good on Woakesy. He's in an immense amount of pain after that unfortunate injury, but it was never in doubt for him that, if needed, he was going to walk down the stairs and try to get us across the line.”

Captain Ben Stokes, watching from the sidelines due to his own shoulder injury, highlighted the sacrifices players had made during the grueling five-Test series. “Everyone's left a lot out on the ground for their countries,” he said, referencing not only Woakes, but also Rishabh Pant’s innings with a fractured foot and Shoaib Bashir’s efforts while carrying a broken finger.

The final scenes of the match have reignited debate around the absence of injury substitutions in cricket. While some have called for reform, Stokes reiterated his stance: “If someone gets injured, tough shit. Deal with it.”

At 36, and with no place in the white-ball set-up, this might be the last time Woakes dons an England shirt. If so, his farewell could hardly have been more fitting—a selfless final act that underlined his value, not just as a cricketer, but as a teammate who has given his all across more than 200 international appearances.