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Times of Oman
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
"Don't think I'll be playing when I'm 41": Woakes reveals retirement plans ahead of second Test against India
Birmingham : England's seasoned quick Chris Woakes addressed his retirement plans and declared that he isn't looking to follow the same path as legendary ageless seamer James Anderson ahead of the second Test against India at Edgbaston. With each passing day, Woakes, 36, is walking towards the sunset of his career. He is the most experienced quick in England's current Test fold and is grooming a new generation of pacers. Woakes didn't put a timeframe on his career and wants to continue as long as he feels that he is contributing to the team while still trying to improve and get better. "I don't think I'll be playing when I'm 41, James, particularly for England. I've tried to get the most out of my career. I'm still in that position where I feel like I'm trying to get better, trying to improve every time I go out there. Pass on that knowledge, as I said. People like to talk about age a lot," Woakes told reporters in a press conference on Monday. "But at the same time, it's just a number. As long as I'm contributing to the team and feel like I'm performing well, then I'll carry on. If one day that sort of time comes where you get a tap on the shoulder, then so be it. But at the moment I'm enjoying it. I love being around the group. I love enjoying playing cricket for England still, and I'll carry on for as long as I possibly can," he added. Woakes has been handed the responsibility of spearheading England's attack in the ongoing five-match Test series against India. In the first Test, he managed just a solitary scalp of Karun Nair in the second innings. Even though it wasn't the ideal beginning for Woakes, he will look to scythe more wickets in front of his home crowd.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
England's Duckett says mindset change behind Test success
England opener Ben Duckett reverse-sweeps on his way to 149 in the first Test against India at Headingley (Darren Staples) Ben Duckett believes a change of mindset has inspired his successful return to Test cricket after a brilliant century laid the foundation for England's remarkable win in their series opener with India. Duckett's commanding 149 was the key innings as England successfully chased an imposing total of 371 to win by five wickets in the first Test at Headingley on Tuesday. Advertisement It was another milestone moment for 30-year-old Duckett since returning to the England side in December 2022. His 30 appearances in his second spell as a Test cricketer have yielded 2,511 runs at an average of 47.37 and a strike rate of 88.07. Duckett's heroics at Headingley saw him lauded by former England captain Nasser Hussain, who labelled him "the best multi-format batsman in the world". Duckett said his success was down to an improved mentality after he had been criticised for getting himself out with needlessly flamboyant shots. "My mindset personally is a bit different to what it has been over the last couple of years," he told reporters. Advertisement "Potentially there's a bit of maturity kicking in. Playing more Test matches, learning from mistakes, is number one. "Failures are easy to make changes and learn from, rather than just when you do well." Jasprit Bumrah, the world's top ranked Test fast bowler, did not take a wicket in England's second innings, with Duckett playing a key role in subduing the India star. "It was pretty obvious Jasprit was a big threat of theirs," he said. "It was about realising whenever he came on it was going to be a short, sharp burst, trying to see him off and not necessarily playing any big shots. Advertisement "It's just realising that and taking the ego out of things. When he's coming on it's to get the breakthrough, get me out, and if you get through that period it gets easier." Duckett was ably assisted on Tuesday by Zak Crawley, who made 65 in a dominant opening stand of 188 with Duckett that paved the way for England to go 1-0 up in a five-match series ahead of next week's second Test at Edgbaston. Crawley started the season with his England place being called into question following a run of low scores against New Zealand. He responded with a century against Zimbabwe in a one-off Test at Trent Bridge last month. Advertisement The opener's fifty at Headingley was arguably even more valuable given the quality of the bowling and the state of the game. "The leadership of this team don't really talk about these things – if my place was under pressure they certainly wouldn't tell me," said Crawley, who has long enjoyed the backing of England captain Ben Stokes. "But I wasn't playing how I wanted to play in the winter and I feel a lot better about my game now." jdg/smg/iwd
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
England bowler Mark Wood reveals his 'rehab is going well' as he returns to the nets and eyes return in fifth Test against India
Mark Wood has revealed he is back bowling in the nets and hopes to make his England return in the fifth Test against India. The Durham quick had surgery on his injured left knee in March and was expected to miss the entire Test summer. However, Wood believes he can now be back in time to feature in the final match of the India series, which starts at the Oval on July 31, ahead of the winter Ashes tour. 'Rehab is going well,' the 35-year-old told BBC Test Match Special, who he is working for at Headingley. 'I have just started bowling, very lightly, but I am on the comeback trail now officially. 'I am hoping still to play a part in this series. I am still targeting maybe the last Test. 'Anything before that is probably a bit too soon. The last Test I might not get there, but at the minute that is still my focus, that I might play a part.' Wood's imminent return is a major boost for England, who hope to have their full battery of fast bowlers fit for Australia. Jorfa Archer is also expected to play in Sussex's County Championship match at Durham starting on Sunday, with an eye on making his England comeback in the second or third Test.
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
It would be remarkable to drop Ollie Pope after 171
Ben Stokes insists Ollie Pope was never in danger of being dropped for this week's opening Test against India, claiming it would be 'remarkable' to leave his vice-captain out. Jacob Bethell is pushing hard for a place in the red-ball side as he continues his sharp ascent through the ranks but while he was at the Indian Premier League last month, Pope firmed up his spot at number three with a knock of 171 against Zimbabwe. If there were ever any doubts over him holding on to his shirt, that innings at Trent Bridge extinguished them and he remains the man in possession heading into a huge five-match series that begins on Friday at Headingley.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Stokes calls on England to adapt better ‘when we're up against the wall'
Ben Stokes may have described England's recent lack of Test action as 'a bit odd' but playing just one game in the past six months has given the side space to reconsider their approach before the series against India. Stokes has won 23 of his 36 games in charge while losing 12 and insisted: 'I don't think it's arrogant to say that we've been good over the last three years,' but with England's next 10 Tests coming against either India – starting at Headingley on Friday – or Australia they have prepared for potential adversity. Advertisement Related: England are right to stick with a settled top six – Bethell should follow the Lara model | Mark Ramprakash 'We've had a lot of time to speak about what we want to do as a team and where we want to take ourselves,' Stokes said. 'We've had time to identify areas where we know we are incredibly strong, but also areas that we think we need to get better at. One of those was adapting better when we're up against the wall. 'When those moments come in the series, that they no doubt will, it's identifying them a lot quicker. We know that when we are on top of teams we are very, very good, and where we maybe have let ourselves down in the past is when we have been behind the game. It's about being smarter in those situations when it's obvious that the opposition is on top of us. 'I think if [you] look at some of the victories we've had, they have been in a manner of complete dominance of the game throughout. But when we've lost we probably look back on moments. Could we have been a lot better at slowing everything down and understanding where we are in the position of the game, to then allow us to play in that natural way that we like to go about things?' Advertisement Stokes said he thinks 'conversations together in a room as a group are sometimes just as valuable as training in the nets and working harder', but he has found time for both, with his return to full fitness after an operation on his hamstring in January allowing him to work on his bowling action. 'I can't remember the last time I was able to work so hard on just technical stuff,' he said. 'To be able to get myself back to where I feel like I was before I had my injuries is really good, because there was naturally quite a few changes that crept into my action – how I was landing, how I was approaching the crease – because of my knee or because of my hamstring. It was nice to be able to get rid of those.' Stokes insisted that Ollie Pope's 171 against Zimbabwe had ended any discussion about his place in the team for this week's first Test. 'It would be remarkable to choose someone else if [his] last knock was 170,' he said. India arrive in search of their first series victory in England since 2007, having won just one of their last eight Tests and with a much-changed team, a situation their new captain, Shubman Gill, is looking at as a bonus. 'A lot of people talk like our side is not experienced, but there are also positives that we don't really have any baggage coming to England. That could be one thing that really makes a difference for us,' said Gill, who has delayed naming his team because of uncertainty over who will bat at No 3.
