India pulled off a stunning six-run win against England in the fifth and final Test at The Oval to share the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. However, Chris Woakes also managed to turn heads and win hearts with his courage to come out to bat with an injured shoulder.
Chasing 374 runs to win the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, England needed just 17 more runs when something surprising happened. Chris Woakes, who had injured his shoulder badly, came out to bat with one arm in a sling at The Oval on Day 5.
Chris Woakes fights with one arm, but Mohammed Siraj’s yorker wins India the Oval Test
Even though the England all-rounder couldn’t play any shots, he stood bravely at the non-striker’s end to support Gus Atkinson, hoping to help his team cross the line against India. The crowd cheered loudly, but Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj had other plans.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Read Also: Watch: “Goron ke muh dekh” – Ravindra Jadeja mocks English crowd during India’s victory lap at The Oval
Siraj bowled a perfect yorker and clean-bowled Atkinson, and India sealed the match and tied the five-match Test series 2-2. However, Chris Woakes brought back a big debate on whether injured players should be replaced during the Test match by trying to bat with his left hand.
Earlier, Rishabh Pant got hurt and had to be taken off the field. Many former cricketers, including India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, called for changes in the Test rules, demanding that the injured players should be allowed to be replaced in such situations.
Arm in a sling, Chris Woakes has arrived to the crease pic.twitter.com/D4QDscnfXE
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 4, 2025
Ravichandran Ashwin sends a strong message to Ben Stokes after India’s dramatic finish
But England captain Ben Stokes denied the suggestion and called it absolutely ridiculous. Now, after seeing Woakes struggle to even stand properly while trying to help his team, former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out how Ben Stokes, who once laughed off the idea of injury replacements, had to send out an injured player to try and save the game at The Oval.
Ravichandran Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel, “What you sow is what you reap. At Old Trafford, after Rishabh Pant’s injury, the press conference included questions about injury substitution. Gautam Gambhir had said that injuries like these warrant substitutions. Immediately after, the same question was asked to Ben Stokes, and he said, ‘It’s absolutely a joke.’ I’m a big fan of Ben Stokes. I admire his attitude. But you need to think before you speak.”
However, Ashwin praised Woakes’ brave effort but reminded England of Karma. He said, “Today, Chris Woakes walked out with his shoulder tucked into his sweater and gave it his all to help the team win. He almost did it. He was running, showing immense game awareness. Hats off to Chris Woakes—remarkable attitude, remarkable fight, putting his body on the line.”
Read Also: Babar Azam to feature in India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash as T20I return confirmed
Karma hits instantly: Ravichandran Ashwin slams Ben Stokes
Meanwhile, the former Indian off-spinner mentioned how Michael Vaughan supported the idea about allowing injury substitutions and deserved serious thought. So, Ashwin felt that Ben Stokes should have also been more understanding when India lost Rishabh Pant to a foot injury.
The former Indian star added, “All I’m saying is: show a little empathy for the other team. Stokes should have considered what it would be like if a player of Rishabh Pant’s caliber was in his team and got injured. Wouldn’t you want a substitution? Wouldn’t that be fair?”
Ashwin also stressed that opinions are fine, but mocking serious issues isn’t right, and sometimes, the consequences come back quicker than expected. He signed off by saying, “You are free to share your opinion—but using words like ‘joke’ and ‘ridiculous’ isn’t respectful. Think before you speak. Karma hits instantly.”
