During Day 1 of the 5th Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at the Kennington Oval, a moment of sportsmanship from India's Karun Nair drew widespread praise. While batting, Nair was running with his partner Washington Sundar when veteran England pacer Chris Woakes was injured while fielding. Woakes was chasing a ball towards the boundary when he slipped on the damp outfield and landed awkwardly on his left shoulder, clutching it in pain.
After completing three runs, India's Karun Nair had a clear opportunity to run for a fourth but he chose not to, signaling to Sundar to stay put. This gesture, which showcased the "spirit of cricket," was lauded by many fans on social media. Woakes received immediate medical attention on the field before walking off with a makeshift sling fashioned from his sweater.
The injury appears to be serious, and Woakes is expected to miss the remainder of the match. This is a significant blow for England as Woakes was the only pacer to have played in every game of the series. His teammate, Gus Atkinson, who is playing his first Test of the series after recovering from a hamstring strain, commented on the injury, telling international media, "It doesn't look great... I will be surprised if he takes any part in the game." Atkinson added that the entire team is hoping the injury is not too bad and that Woakes will have their full support.
Woakes had a challenging series with the ball, taking 11 wickets at an average of 52.18, with his best figures being 3/84. With Woakes now likely sidelined, Atkinson stated that he is "ready to push the limits" to fill the void left in the bowling attack.
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