"It's fine by me" - Chris Woakes content with not playing another away Test
Veteran England seamer Chris Woakes said he remains content with the selectors' decision to not pick him for the Test tour to India. The 34-year-old felt it would be futile to keep trying to put efforts on unresponsive Indian tracks, having not achieved success thus far.
The Warwickshire seamer has a dismal Test record on Indian soil, managing only 3 wickets in as many matches at 81.33. England picked their squad for the five-match Test series in India on Sunday, naming three uncapped players in the crew as they prepare for a massive challenge.
Speaking to reporters, Woakes deemed his inclusion as a fair decision and that he refuses to risk his knee at his age, keeping in mind the white-ball games he wants to play.
As quoted by The Telegraph, he claimed:
"At my age, with my away record – particularly in the subcontinent – I feel like it’s a fair decision. I feel at ease with the decision, if that makes sense. The communication was good, I know where I stand so it’s fine by me. I wouldn’t want that to be the same case going to India, bowling on tracks which are unresponsive to my type of bowling; slamming the front knee down at 34 is not really ideal when I want to play a lot of white-ball cricket moving forward."
Compared to his home record, Woakes has sensational numbers at home. He has picked up 113 wickets in 28 Tests at 21.88 and also struck a century.
"I’ve tried a lot of different skills" - Chris Woakes
The 34-year-old opined that he has tried different sorts of things over the years in the sub-continent, but they haven't paid dividends. He added:
"You want to perform in all conditions – it’s something which I’ve tried for a long period of time. Particularly in the subcontinent I’ve struggled. With the red ball, I have found it a little bit difficult. So frustrating, but at the same time, it’s not through lack of effort. I’ve tried a lot of different skills and it just didn’t really suit my type of bowling away from home."
The first Test between India and England begins on January 25, 2024, in Hyderabad.