Chris Woakes, the senior statesman of England’s bowling attack, is suddenly 35 years old.
He has witnessed Stuart Broad and now James Anderson make their final bows in back-to-back home Tests at The Oval in 2023 and Lord’s this week. With that knowledge, he heads to Trent Bridge for next week’s second Test against West Indies, knowing he is now the wise old head for a new generation of England seamers looking to fill their sizable shoes.
Woakes remarked, “It makes me feel incredibly old,” at Lord’s, just as Anderson’s farewell was beginning. But it’s a very special event. It’s really been a pleasure to be a part of Jimmy’s final game this week. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to play with him for an extended length of time. The knowledge and insights I have gleaned from him over the years have undoubtedly improved my game. Being bowled over by England’s greatest ever feels incredibly fortunate.
“I’ve looked at Stu and Jimmy evolve as they’ve got older, and I still hope that I can potentially do the same. Chris Woakes believes he can still improve at 35
“He’s always been there at mid-off, giving little words of advice,” Woakes said. “I’ve never seen someone evaluate conditions and pitch as well as he does. It’s absolutely amazing how he describes how deliveries are operating at such an early stage. Though it’s quite simple to assume that’s something you merely pick up, the truth is that he is the greatest at it. It wasn’t until Jimmy started chatting to me that I bowled a wobble-ball. That’s been quite significant.
Seniority has its real benefits, though, and one such benefit will be getting to plan his run-up at Trent Bridge for what will be, appropriately enough, his 50th Test. Woakes may now enjoy first-choice of ends for possibly the first time in his career, at least at home. Not that it really mattered to him in the recent Lord’s Test, though.
“I haven’t given that much thought,” he chuckled. “Well, that would be good. However, this game worked out well because Jimmy likes this [Pavilion] end while I really do favour the other end [Nursery]!”
While acknowledging that there might be some minor adjustments to his approach, Woakes maintained that he would not attempt to alter his on-field manner.
“Naturally, you’re going to see a lot more new players being given opportunities to move [England] forward,” he stated. “But I’ll do my best to contribute to the squad and give it everything I’ve got.
“Obviously, it’ll be slightly different if I was given the new ball,” he said. “I’ve come on first-change for the bulk of my career, so going forward, I might need to understand that. Apart from that, you try to share your abilities and, whenever a new member joins the team, you continue to strive to impart a little bit of knowledge.
“I should be able to accomplish it because I’ve been around for a while. Now that Stu and Jim have finished, perhaps I should do that a little bit more, especially on the pitch rather than off it. I think that’s the only significant issue.”
Naturally, the dressing room won’t undergo as much modification off the pitch. During the remainder of the West Indies series, Anderson will continue to serve as a bowling coach, with the possibility of making the role more permanent should he determine it to be a good fit for his next phase of development.
“I’m looking forward to not getting a spray when I dive over one,” Woakes quipped. It will be different, of course, but it will also be excellent, in my opinion. It goes without saying that he won’t feel the same as he does when he’s competing and serving as the team’s main bowler. Thus, I believe he’ll be excellent in that capacity as well, hopefully throughout the whole of the summer as well as beyond.”
It’s unclear if Woakes himself is a part of the team’s long-term goals. Unquestionably, he is the best in home circumstances; this was demonstrated in the Ashes last summer, when he won the Compton-Miller Medal for turning the series around with 19 wickets in the final three Tests.
Despite accepting that his bowling record abroad (36 wickets at 51.88) is far less significant than his domestic stats (114 at 22.04), he was not selected for the India tour this year. Ben Stokes has said clearly that his team’s next objective is to win the Ashes in 2025–2026. Meanwhile, Chris Woakes, who has a lifetime record of 16 wickets at 51.68 in Australia, seems apathetic about his position in the standings.
“I just don’t rule anything out,” he declared. “I’ve just focused on the next game and the next series throughout my time playing for England, trying to be in the greatest possible shape. When you look too far ahead, you risk being caught off guard and forgetting what needs to be done in the here and now. Suddenly, that seems like it’s a million miles away.
“It’d be hard for me to stand here and say I’ll be the opening bowler in that Ashes,” he said. “Undoubtedly, my performance on the road isn’t as strong as it is at home. However, I’ve also watched Stu and Jimmy change as they’ve aged, and I continue to hold out hope that I might be able to do the same. However, as far as I can see right now, I’m staring at Trent Bridge.”
Following several challenging months, Woakes has returned to the England squad. Following the loss of his father in May, he left the Indian Premier League early to return home. After being left out of England’s T20 World Cup selection, he took a brief hiatus from his duties in Warwickshire.
“It was one of those things in life that you probably never really think’s going to happen until it does,” he stated. “It’s been difficult to concentrate on my day job while trying to get back into cricket, but when you play, especially with the England whites, you realise how fortunate we are to be able to do what we do.”
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Observing Jimmy this week has made me realise that this team experience is fleeting, therefore I’m trying to make the most of every second I have left. Right now, I try to keep things in perspective, be content with where I am, and give it my all.”
India
