Chris Woakes Injured as England Chase Victory at The Oval. Chris Woakes suffered a shoulder injury while fielding on day one of the fifth Test at The Oval and was ruled out of the match by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). He did not bat in the first innings, and it’s still uncertain whether he will be able to bat in the second.
The fourth day ended with plenty of drama, as England reached 339/6 before bad light and rain forced early stumps. They now need just 35 more runs to win but have only four wickets remaining—one of which is the injured Chris Woakes.
Earlier in the day, centuries from Joe Root (105) and Harry Brook (111) had tilted the game in England’s favour. However, India struck back in the final session, claiming key wickets and troubling the batters with some sharp bowling.
With the match hanging in the balance, England will hope to finish the chase quickly, but Chris Woakes injury adds another layer of uncertainty to a tense final day.
Chris Woakes Spotted in Test Jersey Inside Dressing Room
Following England’s collapse in the third session on Day 4, Chris Woakes was seen preparing to bat inside the dressing room. Despite wearing a shoulder sling, he had his Test jersey on, indicating he was ready if needed. Watch the video below
Look who's in his whites in the dressing room 👀 pic.twitter.com/YQPaVhDYhv
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 3, 2025
According to the rules, Chris Woakes is eligible to bat in the second innings. Notably, the England all-rounder played a vital knock of 38 runs in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. So far in the series, he has scored 64 runs across six innings. With the ball, he has taken 11 wickets in five matches at an average of 52.18.
His absence from the bowling lineup proved to be a significant setback for England in the Oval Test. In the first innings, India were bowled out for 224, while England managed 247 in reply. In their second innings, India scored 396, setting a challenging target of 374 runs for the hosts.