ENG vs IND: Reports: Chris Woakes set to miss Ashes tour after shoulder fracture, surgery seems imminent

England may have to keep Chris Woakes out of their plans for the forthcoming Ashes tour after the veteran seam-bowling all-rounder dislocated his shoulder during the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval in London.

Chris Woakes sustained the injury at the fag end of Day 1 while attempting to stop a boundary.

With about thirty minutes left in the day’s play and moist outfield conditions from prolonged cloudy weather, the England all-rounder slipped and landed awkwardly near the boundary rope, dislocating his left shoulder.

According to The Telegraph, scans have verified the severity of the damage, and surgery is being evaluated as a viable option. However, additional assessments will be required to determine the level of damage and the period of recovery.

Woakes had returned to England’s Test squad for the first time since December, for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He had healed from his ankle injury. The seasoned campaigner took ten wickets in the first four Tests and dismissed KL Rahul at The Oval before the series ended abruptly.

Woakes finished with 11 wickets with an average of 52.18 and a strike rate of 98.73. He also made an important 38 runs with the bat in the first innings of the first Test in Headingley, Leeds. If Woakes needs to go under the knife, he will be out of cricket for a while. For example, Ollie Pope has experienced many shoulder injuries throughout his career and normally spends four months in therapy before returning to top-level cricket. The 36-year-old might be out for a comparable amount of time.