With conditions expected to suit seamers, Woakes’ ability to swing the ball both ways and contribute lower down the order with the bat adds depth to the English lineup.
As England gear up for their highly anticipated five-match Test series against India, experienced pacer Chris Woakes has opened up about his role in the bowling unit and the importance of teamwork over individual tags.
Woakes, known for his exceptional record on home soil, has often been referred to as the leader of England’s bowling attack, especially in the absence of senior pacers. However, the 36-year-old prefers to focus on the collective strength of the bowling group rather than individual labels.
“I always find the attack leader tag a little bit strange,” Woakes said in the lead-up to the series on ESPNcricinfo.
“Because there’s always units to do it as a group. It’s not just one guy that takes the wickets or takes the floor hits, whatever it is. You have to share it around. You have to work well as a unit,” he said.
Woakes’ numbers at home speak volumes about his consistency and skill. In 34 Tests in England, he has picked up 137 wickets at an impressive average of 21.59, with five five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/17.
England will be counting on that experience and home advantage when they take on the Indian side. With conditions expected to suit seamers, Woakes’ ability to swing the ball both ways and contribute lower down the order with the bat adds depth to the English lineup.
England will begin the five-match series against India on June 20 at Headingley. The second Test is set for July 2 at Edgbaston, followed by the third on July 10 at Lord’s. The fourth Test will take place at Old Trafford from July 23, while the final match of the series is scheduled at The Oval starting July 31.
India Goes Full Throttle
Fresh off their arrival in the UK, the Shubman Gill-led Indian Test squad wasted no time and dived straight into intense training sessions, kickstarting their preparations for the five-Test showdown that marks the beginning of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
This series also signals the start of a new era for Indian cricket, following the Test retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India are aiming to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007.
The BCCI shared a glimpse of India’s training session on their social media with a caption, “First sight of #TeamIndia getting into the groove in England.”
In the video, Team India’s pace battery — Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohd Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh — joined forces with new skipper Shubman Gill, seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant for high-intensity training drills, all under the sharp eyes of head coach Gautam Gambhir and his coaching crew at the Lord’s Indoor Cricket Centre.
The five-match series will commence on June 20 in Leeds before the action moves to Birmingham for the second Test. The Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the third Test, beginning on July 10. Old Trafford and Kennington Oval will host the fourth and fifth Tests of the series, respectively.
Following the Test retirement of Rohit Sharma, Gill has been appointed as India’s 37th Test captain. He has played as an opener and number three batter for India in Tests. In 32 Tests, Gill has scored 1893 runs at an average of 35.1, with five centuries and seven fifties against his name.
India’s squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
