Woakes targets place on England's winter tours

Chris Woakes is targeting a spot connected England’s wintertime tours aft assuming nan domiciled of onslaught leader pursuing nan status of James Anderson.

The 35-year-old has not played an distant Test successful much than 2 years and his bowling mean of 51.88 overseas pales successful comparison to an fantabulous 21.57 astatine home.

Woakes would look a earthy fresh for conditions for 3 Tests successful New Zealand successful December, but whitethorn beryllium little effective connected nan three-match circuit of Pakistan successful October.

“I’ll play for England wherever I’m picked to play for England. I surely wouldn’t norm myself out,” he said.

“The selectors will person their plans, but I’m surely not going to move down a circuit if selected. We shall see.”

Woakes past played distant successful nan Caribbean astatine nan extremity of Joe Root’s captaincy successful 2022. He has not been taken connected nan tours of Pakistan, New Zealand aliases India since skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took charge.

Without Anderson and Stuart Broad, who retired past year, Woakes has go England’s elder seamer. His 3 wickets connected nan first time of nan first Test against Sri Lanka took his tally to 14 wickets successful 4 matches this summer.

“The much Test cricket you play, you prime up caller skills and person much acquisition to autumn backmost on,” said nan Warwickshire man. “I haven’t played an distant Test for a small while, but that mightiness beryllium a bully point because it tin springiness you a caller look connected things. I wouldn’t awkward distant from it.”

England efficaciously ended nan profession of 42-year-old Anderson, their all-time starring wicket-taker, pinch an oculus connected nan 2025-26 Ashes circuit of Australia.

That has led to immoderate questions of their loyalty to Woakes, a akin style of bowler, and hardly young for a paceman contempt being 7 years Anderson’s junior.

One cardinal plus for Woakes is his batting, and a Test mean of almost 28. He is comfortably nan champion batter among England’s bowlers, a genuine number 8 who has been pushed up to 7 successful nan absence of injured skipper Stokes.

“That is simply a bonus, isn't it?” said Woakes. “It's an other drawstring successful nan front which allows maine to perchance beryllium selected up of personification other who possibly can't rather fulfil that role.”

Woakes helped England disregard Sri Lanka for 238 connected nan first time of nan three-match series, pinch nan hosts past reaching 22-0 earlier bad ray stopped play successful Manchester.

"I firmly consciousness we've had a awesome day,” Woakes told Test Match Special. “To vessel a squad retired connected time 1 and past beryllium nary down astatine nan close, that's ever really pleasing.”

England are being led for nan first clip by Ollie Pope, nan vice-captain stepping up arsenic skipper for this bid because of Stokes’ hamstring injury.

Pope, 26, has captained successful only 1 erstwhile first-class lucifer and has go conscionable nan 5th different man to return complaint of England successful a Test since 2009.

“Obviously it feels different not having Ben retired there,” said Woakes. “I thought Ollie was good. He astir apt recovered himself having to move connected a small spot much than he would normally.

“As skipper you person to beryllium connected nan shot each nan time, perpetually reasoning astir fields, bowling changes and really to get wickets.

“He communicated pinch nan bowlers well, talking astir options and section settings. For an inexperienced captain, I thought he did a awesome job.”