What Positive Update Did Chris Woakes Provide on His Shoulder Injury Ahead of the Ashes?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Chris Woakes is recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
- His rehabilitation is progressing faster than anticipated.
- Woakes is aiming to avoid surgery to be fit for the Ashes.
- England's next challenge is the Ashes series against Australia starting November 21.
- Woakes showed great bravery by batting despite his injury in the decider against India.
New Delhi, Aug 14 (NationPress) Following an intense Test series against India, England has shifted its attention to the upcoming Ashes tour in Australia. Pacer Chris Woakes has shared a promising update regarding his recovery from a shoulder injury.
Woakes dislocated his shoulder while fielding during the fifth Test at The Oval in London earlier this month. He mentioned that his rehabilitation is advancing quicker than anticipated, enhancing his prospects of being fit for the prestigious series.
“This is certainly uplifting news for me. That's the best approach to take,” Woakes, who was not wearing an arm sling, told Sky Sports while attending The Hundred. “I’m out of the sling and can move it much better now, which is encouraging two weeks post-injury. Once you gain a bit more movement, it begins to feel a bit more normal. However, there's still a substantial amount of work ahead,” he added.
Woakes, who had a lackluster five-Test series against India with only 11 wickets, is concentrating on his rehabilitation after choosing to avoid surgery to be ready for the crucial Ashes.
“I’ll aim to concentrate on the rehab and strengthen it as much as possible. Ideally, I’d prefer to avoid surgery for the moment, but we’ll assess how it goes and hopefully get it strong again,” the pacer remarked.
Woakes suffered the injury on the first day of the decisive Test against India at The Oval. Although he was ruled out for the remainder of the match, he bravely batted on the tense final morning with his left arm in a sling as England aimed for a series-clinching victory, ultimately falling just six runs short.
Woakes' recovery update brings a welcome boost to England, who will face another five-Test challenge against their long-standing rivals Australia starting November 21.