All-rounder Chris Woakes is not in England’s plans for the near future, according to Rob Key, managing director of the men’s team. Key stated in a media interview just one day after England revealed their Ashes tour squad that Woakes is not expected to be included in England’s plans after the forthcoming 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 stated.
“He had a limited amount of time to be prepared for the Ashes start. After finishing an Ashes series, you’re usually thinking about the next cycle.
Chris Woakes isn’t currently part of our plans at all.
One of the more intriguing aspects of England’s Ashes team was the appointment of Harry Brook as the team’s vice captain, replacing Ollie Pope, who even captained the team during the just finished Oval Test match against India without Ben Stokes. After talking with captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum, and Key, the decision was made.
“It’s pretty simple, really – we think (Brook) is the best person for the job,” Key stated. “He now has greater leadership experience, and I believe Harry Brook is deserving of it. Apart from our belief that Harry Brook would make the ideal vice captain, there are no other hidden agendas.
“I believe Pope sensed its imminence. Choosing to be vice captain isn’t necessarily the most crucial choice you have to make. We had the option of going without a vice captain. Popey does it well when he does it. Over the past few years, he has performed admirably in a wide range of tasks that we have asked him to do. Harry Brook was hired because he is simply the better leader and will continue to be so in the future.
Key affirmed that Pope’s dismissal as the team’s vice captain had no impact on his status as the Test No. 3, a role for which Jacob Bethell has been viewed as a good candidate, despite praising Brook’s leadership abilities. He maintained that the competition for the job is unaffected by the change in leadership.
“Someone like Ollie Pope has played really well in a tough position; he has had to deal with this all along, as have any players when they have lost a bit of form,” Key said in reference to the discussion surrounding the Pope-Bethell argument for the No. 3 spot in England’s lineup. Being an international cricket player comes with that. It’s difficult because of this.
“There isn’t a complex plan that would make it simpler to fire Ollie Pope if we took his place as vice captain. Whether you are the vice captain or not is irrelevant. Whether you are batting as an opener or at number five, if we don’t think you are the best fit, we’ll bring in someone we believe is more capable. The individual in possession is Ollie Pope. We will likely learn the composition of that XI two days prior to the Perth Test.
India
