Chris Woakes To Bat For England On Day 5 If Needed? Joe Root Drops Bombshell - "Ready To..."
England cricket team batter Joe Root revealed that Chris Woakes can bat if needed on Day 5 of the fifth Test encounter against India at The Oval.
- Joe Root said Chris Woakes may bat for England in the second innings if needed despite his shoulder injury
- “Chris Woakes is in a huge amount of pain. We have seen this series, Pant batting with a broken foot": Root
- "Woakes is ready to put his body on the line for England," Root added in the press conference
England cricket team batter Joe Root revealed that Chris Woakes can bat if needed on Day 5 of the fifth Test encounter against India at The Oval on Monday. England need just 35 runs to win on the final day of the series with 4 wickets in hand. Woakes, who suffered a shoulder injury while fielding on Day 1, did not take any further part in the match. However, Root said that if England need him to bat in the second innings, the pacer will be "ready to put his body on the line" for his team.
“Chris Woakes is in a huge amount of pain. We have seen this series, Rishabh Pant batting with a broken foot, Woakes is ready to put his body on the line for England," Root said in the press conference.
Bad light and subsequent rain forced the stumps to be called early on day four of the fifth Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at The Oval on Sunday. With the stage set for a thrilling day five, England need 35 more runs to win, while India requires four wickets for a miraculous victory.
Rain forcing the match to go into the fifth day means every Test of the ongoing riveting five-match series has now gone into the last day. England looked all set to complete the chase of 374 on day four, thanks to Joe Root hitting his 39th Test century - 105 off 152 balls and paid a fitting tribute to Graham Thorpe.
His fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook hit a stunning 111 off 98 balls – his tenth hundred in the longer format and made the most of a crucial reprieve on 19 by Mohammed Siraj. Root and Brook shared a brilliant counter-attacking stand of 195 runs, giving England the hope of completing their second-highest run chase of all time and the most runs hunted down by any team at The Oval.
But just when it felt that victory was inevitable for England, Root and Jacob Bethell fell to Prasidh Krishna, as India gave this match a fresh twist. Overcast conditions meant India found seam movement and found their groove to make life difficult for Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton – unbeaten on two and zero respectively.
Before India could bring more twists to the game, the rain gods intervened and brought a premature end to the day's play. With Chris Woakes, with his left arm in a sling, pacing up and down in the dressing room in his Test whites, another fascinating day five finish looms large to decide the final scoreline of this closely-fought Test series – either 3-1 or 2-2.
(With IANS inputs)
Chris Woakes
Joe Root
England Cricket Team
India Cricket Team