Injured vs India, racing for the Ashes: Chris Woakes mulls risky rehab - 'A risk you’re willing to take'

Chris Woakes

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NEW DELHI: England all-rounder Chris Woakes says he may take the risky route of rehabilitation instead of surgery on his injured shoulder in a bid to be fit for the Ashes in Australia later this year.The 36-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder on day one of the fifth Test against India at The Oval, and is awaiting scan results. Despite the injury, Woakes returned to bat with his arm in a sling on the tense final morning, running four runs in a last-wicket stand with Gus Atkinson before England fell just six runs short of victory. The series ended 2-2.Woakes told BBC Sport that both surgery and rehab are on the table. “I’m waiting to see what the extent of the damage is but I think the options will be to have surgery or to go down a rehab route and try and get it as strong as possible,” he said.Explaining his preference, he added: “Naturally with that there will be a chance of a reoccurrence, but I suppose that could be a risk that you’re just willing to take. Surgery rehab would be three to four months — that’s touching on the Ashes — whereas with rehab you can probably get it strong again within eight weeks.”The first Ashes Test begins in Perth on 21 November, and Woakes remains determined to feature. His decision to bat despite the injury drew praise, though he downplayed the heroics: “In my eyes it was never a question. Anyone else in that dressing room would have done the same. You do what’s best for your team.”Woakes’ grit may have been “business as usual” in his eyes, but his willingness to gamble on fitness shows just how much the Ashes still means to one of England’s most seasoned campaigners.

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