The China Mail - England's injured Woakes still has Ashes hopes

Woakes bravely came out to bat at number 11 with his arm in a sling on Monday in a desperate attempt to help England secure victory in the fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval after dislocating his left shoulder while diving in the field on the first day of the match.

But Woakes' courageous effort was not enough as India won a thrilling match by six runs, without the Warwickshire stalwart facing a ball, to end the series all square at 2-2.

It seemed then that Woakes' hopes of being involved in England's quest to regain the Ashes had evaporated.

The 36-year-old has had a scan on his shoulder and, although he is still awaiting the results, he is holding out hope that an eight-week period of rehabilitation could ensure he makes an astonishing recovery to feature in the Ashes, which start on November 21.

"I'm waiting to see what the extent of the damage is but I think the options will be to have surgery or to go down a rehab route and try and get it as strong as possible," Woakes told the BBC on Friday.

"I suppose naturally with that there will be a chance of a reoccurrence, but I suppose that could be a risk that you're just willing to take sort of thing.

"What I've heard from physios and specialists is that the rehab of a surgery option would be closer to four months, or three to four months. That's obviously touching on the Ashes and Australia so it makes it tricky.

"From a rehab point of view you can probably get it strong again within eight weeks. So that could be an option, but again obviously still waiting to get the full report on it."

Woakes, a veteran of 62 Tests, is the most experienced member of England's pace attack following the retirement of Stuart Broad two years ago and the team management's decision to move on from record wicket-taker James Anderson in 2024.

But even before his injury at the Oval, doubts had been expressed over whether England would select Woakes for the Ashes given his Test bowling average overseas is an expensive 48.93 compared to 23.87 on home soil.

K.Lam--ThChM