England all-rounder Chris Woakes retired from international cricket after 15 years. Following a dislocated shoulder and missing Ashes selection, the two-time World Cup and Ashes winner will continue playing county and franchise cricket.
England all-rounder Chris Woakes announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, September 29. After serving England Cricket for 15 years, Woakes felt it was the right time to step away from his international cricket career, bringing his long and successful tenure in the Three Lions jersey to a close.
The 35-year-old shared a statement on his social media, recalling his childhood dream of representing England in international cricket, and expressed how fortunate he felt to share the dressing room with teammates, some of whom became lifelong friends. Making his England debut against Australia in 2011, Woakes reflected on his cherished moments, including winning the Ashes in 2015, the 2019 ODI World Cup, and the 2022 T20 World Cup.
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Woakes expressed his gratitude to his late father, his mother, his wife, and his two daughters for their unwavering support throughout his career, while also acknowledging the passion of England’s cricket fan club, the ‘Barmy Army’.
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Chris Woakes’s late international appearance for England was in the Oval Test against England, walking out to bat with a left arm in his sling due to a dislocated shoulder to o show immense grit and determination, though England narrowly lost the match. However, Woakes’s bravery was appreciated by the cricketing world.
Why did Chris Woakes retire from international cricket?
Chris Woakes’s retirement from international cricket was not a sudden decision. Recently, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Ben Stokes-led Squad for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, which will begin on September 21. However, Woakes missed out on his selection as he was battling to recover from his dislocated shoulder, despite being willing to risk surgery to be fit in time for the Australia tour.
With Chris Woakes’ non-selection to the England squad for the Ashes series, the England Cricket Board has effectively brought an end to his international career. ECB Director, Rob Key, stated that the England pacer is no longer in the plans as he was unable to recover on time for the Ashes series, and the board will focus on the next cycle after the Ashes.
“It’s been as tough a time for someone, I think, in cricket terms, the timing of it (the shoulder dislocation) as much as anything else, and the chance of reoccurence for the immediate future for Chris Woakes,” Key said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.
“He was running out of time to be ready for the start for the Ashes. And then once you get out of an Ashes series, you’re often looking at the next cycle, really. So Chris Woakes isn’t in our plans at the minute… at all,” he added.
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Chris Woakes, after a distinguished 15-year career with England, decided to pull the curtains on his international career after 217 matches. In International cricket, the veteran England cricketer has picked 396 wickets, including 16 4-wicket hauls and 8 fifers, at an average of 29.54 and an economy rate of 3.99.
With the bat, Woakes has amassed 3705 runs, including a century and 13 fifties, at an average of 24.05 in 2017 matches
What next for Chris Woakes?
Chris Woakes has retired from international cricket rather than calling it a day on the domestic and franchise circuit. The 35-year-old expressed his desire to continue playing in the County Championship and Franchise cricket.
“I look forward to continuing to play county cricket and exploring more franchise opportunities in the near future.” Woakes wrote in his statement.
As per the report by The Guardian, Woakes is in discussion for a new contract with Warwickshire. He chose not to have surgery on his shoulder, which meant he had little chance of playing in the Ashes. However, he may still play in T20 franchise cricket this winter.
In his first-class career, Chris Woakes has aggregated 6804 runs, including 10 centuries and 26 fifties, at an average of 30.92 in 185 matches. With the ball, he has picked 628 wickets, including 23 4-wicket hauls and 22 fifers, at an average of 25.96 and an economy rate of 3.05.