England pacer Chris Woakes has come in support of his captain Ben Stokes on the debate around injury substitutions. Despite suffering a painful shoulder injury himself during the fifth Test at The Oval, Woakes said he was not in favour of changing the rules to allow replacements for injured players.
The discussion around injury substitutions began after Rishabh Pant fractured his toe in the fourth Test but still came out to bat the next day. India head coach Gautam Gambhir proposed a change in the rules, allowing like-for-like replacements for such cases, similar to what is currently allowed for concussions.
However, Ben Stokes strongly disagreed with that suggestion. He called the idea "ridiculous" and warned that it would open up the game to loopholes.
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Chris Woakes Shares His Perspective on Injury Substitution Debate
Chris Woakes’ own injury in the fifth Test reignited the conversation. He bowled just 14 overs and dismissed KL Rahul in the first innings but injured his shoulder on the first day of the match.
Yet, despite being in clear discomfort, Woakes came out to bat with a strapped hand. He did not face a delivery as it was impossible for him to bat. He supported Gus Atkinson in running between the wickets before the latter got dismissed. England lost the match by six runs and the series ended 2-2.
Speaking on the situation, Woakes supported the traditionalist view. He said that dealing with the loss of a player is part of what makes cricket unique and challenging.
"I’m with Stokesy, to be honest. Having played for 18 years, the game is what it is: you lose a player and as a team you have to find a way. It makes you more resilient and the team stronger. I do understand why people might think it’s needed for freak injuries like mine but there would be too many grey areas or loopholes," Woakes said as quoted in an interview with The Guardian.
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Ben Stokes Stands Firm on His Opinion Despite Oval Defeat
Even after losing the fifth Test narrowly and watching Woakes suffer on the field, Stokes did not soften his stance. Speaking to reporters after the game, the England captain was blunt in his response and stuck to his words. He said:
"I don’t see it [injury substitutes] being a thing. Sorry about this, but if someone gets injured tough s***, deal with it. That’s how we view it.”
Also read: IND vs ENG: Chris Woakes' shoulder blow reignites calls for mid-injury replacements
