Chris Woakes Hits Career Milestone But Struggles in His Worst Home Spell
Talking about the ongoing Test series between England and India, one name that has been under the spotlight for both good and not-so-great reasons is Chris Woakes. Coming into the series, especially the first Test at Headingley, Woakes was looked at as the leader of England’s pace attack—he’s the most experienced seamer in the squad, after all. With 57 Tests behind him and a solid record of 181 wickets at an average of 28.24, expectations were sky-high. But what unfolded in Leeds has been anything but ideal for the 36-year-old all-rounder.
To put it bluntly, Chris Woakes has just bowled his worst-ever Test spell at home. He conceded 103 runs without taking a single wicket—his most expensive innings in England to date. And what's more alarming is the quality of his bowling. Only 19% of his deliveries were even threatening the stumps. A large chunk of his balls were either too full or ended up as half-volleys—an absolute treat for Indian batters who punished anything loose.
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India, led by centuries from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, made full use of this, breezing past 400 runs by the start of Day 2. Woakes’ lack of control and inability to extract movement on a pitch that had something in it for disciplined bowlers allowed India to take complete control.
Yet, cricket is a game of highs and lows, and in the same match, Woakes hit a personal milestone. With his current tally now standing at over 2,000 Test runs and 181 wickets, he joins the elite club of England all-rounders like Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Moeen Ali, and Ben Stokes who’ve achieved the 150 wickets-2000 runs double in Test cricket. That’s a remarkable feat and one that deserves celebration—even if it comes amid what’s possibly the lowest point of his home Test bowling career.
Ironically, that’s the story of Woakes’ game in Leeds. On one hand, a historical personal achievement. On the other, a performance with the ball that he’ll want to forget quickly. And while England were eventually bowled out for 465 thanks to a gritty lower-order fight, India still managed a slight lead after the first innings—keeping them ahead in the contest.
It’s a classic reminder that in Test cricket, individual brilliance and collective strategy must align. Woakes will no doubt be reflecting on his lengths, line, and rhythm as he prepares for the next match. England will need him to bounce back—because if there's anything the game has taught us, it's that class players always find a way.
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