New Delhi, Aug 9 England all-rounder Chris Woakes says he may opt for rehabilitation over surgery on his shoulder injury, despite the risk of a recurrence, in a bid to be fit for the Ashes later this year.
The 36-year-old sustained a suspected dislocated shoulder on the opening day of England’s fifth-Test defeat to India at The Oval. Although ruled out for the rest of the match, Woakes returned to bat at number 11 with his left arm in a sling, as England chased a series-clinching win on a tense final morning. They ultimately fell six runs short, with the series ending 2-2.
"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," Woakes told BBC Sport.
"I suppose 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 sort of thing.
"From what I've heard from physios and specialists is that the rehab of a surgery option would be closer to four months or three to four months. That's obviously touching on the Ashes and Australia so it makes it tricky.
"From a rehab point of view you can probably get it strong again within eight weeks. So that could be an option, but again obviously still waiting to get the full report on it."
The first Ashes Test begins in Perth on 21 November — a timeline that makes the decision all the more pressing.
Woakes’ surprise cameo with the bat, running four runs without facing a delivery before Gus Atkinson was bowled, drew widespread admiration for his courage. But the Warwickshire man insisted it was nothing out of the ordinary.
"In my eyes it was never a question [of going out to bat]. It was just a matter of 'I was always going to do that' and I believed anyone else in that dressing room would have done the same. So it's not like it was just me making that decision," he said.
"But yeah, I suppose it's quite surprising how much people have sent the love, sent the support and said how brave it was. But as I said, in my eyes it was just business as usual.
"When you get the opportunity, you do what's best for your team. In that moment it was to go out there and try and find a way with Gus at the other end to try and get us over the line.
"Unfortunately, it didn't happen but I'm grateful and thankful that I put up the fight and tried to do it for the team."
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