Follow UsEngland pacer Chris Woakes bowled a near-perfect new-ball spell on day one at Edgbaston, but he only had one wicket to show for as both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Karun Nair survived really close LBW shouts, saved by the umpire’s call.
Woakes, in particular, was left frustrated by the Nair decision, as the on-field umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat ruled the batter — who shouldered arms — not out despite it looking very close in real time. England went for the review, but Nair survived thanks to the umpire’s call on ball tracking.
Now, Woakes has suggested a DRS rule change. He believes that if a batter shoulders arms, he should be ruled out upon review, even if it’s the umpire’s call on ball tracking.
"In general, DRS has been good for the game. A lot more right decisions are given [than before]. The only thing I would like to come in is that if a batsman decides to leave the ball and it's still hitting the stumps, I think that should be out - regardless if it's clipping or not,” Woakes said after day one.
Woakes was unusually agitated pre-lunch on day one, and that was down to luck not being in England’s favour, with the Indian batters surviving multiple close LBWs which were 50/50. The 36-year-old termed it a ‘frustrating morning’, stating that India could easily have been 30/3 inside the first hour.
"We could have easily had them 30 for 3," Woakes said.
"It was a pretty frustrating morning, really. Obviously emotions run high when you are desperate to do well for the team, do well for yourself and it would've been nice... had those decisions gone our way, the day looks completely different, but that is Test cricket and we move on."
Talking about the surface and England’s strategy, he said that this was the kind of pitch where he felt that stumps needed to be brought into play.
"It felt like the stumps were in play all day," Woakes said.
"It didn't feel like a massive nick-off wicket, to be honest; it didn't feel like it had the pace in it for that... It was something which we were looking for. Basically, it was trying to find the right length that allowed you to be full enough not to get driven, but still bring the stumps into play."
India ended day one on 310/5, with skipper Shubman Gill unbeaten on 114. Woakes was England’s best bowler on the day with figures of 2/59.