Follow UsChris Woakes dislocated his shoulder halfway through the first innings and was ruled out of the Oval Test. He did not bat in the first innings, and neither did he bowl in the second innings. But when his team needed it, he strode out to bat with his left hand in an arm sling to give Gus Atkinson company, with England still needing 17 to win. He ran a few runs, but with every step he took, he was visibly in pain.
His effort went in vain as India escaped with a six-run victory.
However, England captain Ben Stokes, who himself did not play this Test due to an injury, lauded Woakes' commitment for what he did on August 4 (Monday).
"There was never a question in Woakesy’s [Woakes] mind about what he was going to do. He actually spent yesterday trying to figure out which way round if he had to face off, he was going to be left or right-handed," Stokes said at the post-match presentation.
"I think we've had guys go out with broken foot, we've had guys go out with broken fingers and we've had guys go out with just dislocated shoulders. I think it shows what it is to play for your country and try and win games for your country as well."
It was a fiercely contested series, and there were plenty of words exchanged between the players from both sides. Be it Shumban Gill's "Grow some B***" directed at Zak Crawley or the heated argument the English fielders had with Ravindra Jadeja when he refused to call it a draw earlier in Manchester.
Stokes says both teams aren't going to lose a minute's sleep over that. "India-England is always a massive series. There's always going to be moments where emotion comes out from both sides in particular when you get to a stage of the game where almost the game's on the line," Stokes said.
"I've said it a few times before, I don't think any of my lads are going to be going to sleep crying over what was said. And I don't think any of the Indian players have been going to bed crying over what was said either. And I think it just shows that, you know, the passion and the desire that everyone who walks out representing their country with their nation's flag on their chest means."
Stokes is already looking forward tp being fit for the Ashes, which will be played in Australia in November. "Obviously very disappointed to miss out on this game and not be able to contribute. Yeah, rehab starts now and obviously we've got the big one [The Ashes] coming up after this one," Stokes, who was Player of the Match in the third and fourth Test, said.
The five-match series between the two sides eventually ended 2-2, marking an eventful beginning to Gill's tenure as India's Test captain.