England’s fast bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes has revealed that he is aiming to return to cricket in the next three weeks.
Woakes hasn’t played since England were included in the 2021 Men’s after West Indies beat West Indies 1-0 in the three-match Test series in Grenada in March this year. T20 World Cup in UAE and Ashes in Australia.
Mark Robinson, head coach of county side Warwickshire, where Woakes plays domestically, had in May refused to put a deadline on his return to competitive cricket action, citing his struggle with a knee and ankle. Woakes has taken 130 wickets in 45 Tests at an average of 30.73, while scoring 1675 runs with the bat, including a century and six fifties.
“My body needed a little break. The knee is the thing that hurts me the most at the moment. It has been a difficult time, but it seems to have turned a corner.”
“I have the ball back in my hand, although there have been some very light bowling sessions, but I think competitive cricket is not far away. Personally, I want to play till the end of the month,” Woakes said during an appearance as a guest TV commentator during the second Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
It also means Woakes could attend Warwickshire’s next County Championship match in Northamptonshire on 26 June. Despite struggling with injury, Woakes insisted he has no plans to reduce his workload by preferring red or white-ball cricket.
“I still see myself as an all-format player – I want to do it for as long as possible. I don’t feel like I’m near the end.”
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