Woakes Still in Consideration for England's Overseas Tours Despite Challenges

Despite a less impressive record in international away games, England's head coach Brendon McCullum has confirmed that fast bowler Chris Woakes remains a candidate for upcoming overseas tours. Woakes, aged 35, boasts a bowling average of 21.83 in 31 Tests in England, but this figure increases to 51.95 in 20 Tests abroad.

With the retirement of James Anderson, who was 41, some have questioned Woakes' continued selection as England aims to build a squad capable of reclaiming the Ashes in Australia in 2025-26. Captain Ben Stokes addressed the situation, indicating the difficulty in explaining why Woakes remained in contention while Anderson was encouraged to retire, emphasising the challenge of avoiding age-based biases.

Woakes has a bowling average of 51.68 in seven Tests in Australia and does not consistently reach the high speeds often favoured for those conditions. When asked about Woakes' potential participation in overseas matches, McCullum expressed optimism, citing Woakes' recent performance in the West Indies series. He highlighted Woakes' ability to reverse the ball on flat pitches and secure crucial wickets.

Woakes' last appearance in an overseas Test was in the Caribbean in March 2022, before Stokes and McCullum took over leadership. He initially struggled to find his form in the 3-0 series victory over the West Indies, having played only a couple of red-ball games for Warwickshire that summer following the loss of his father. However, he improved over the series, ending with 11 wickets.

McCullum described Woakes as an exceptional player who perhaps hasn't had as many international opportunities as he deserved but has consistently performed well when given the chance. While Woakes' future participation in overseas tours remains uncertain, McCullum emphasised that Woakes' recent performances make him difficult to exclude.

In addition to his bowling, Woakes' batting skills are another asset for the team. He scored 134 runs in the series, including a vital 67 in the first innings at Edgbaston, coming in when England was 169-6 and trailing by 113 runs. Finding players who can contribute similarly with the bat will be challenging for England, with potential future options like Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, and Jofra Archer still uncertain.

Rehan Ahmed and Tom Hartley are seen as potential long-term solutions, although both are currently behind Shoaib Bashir as England's primary spinner. Balancing the bowling attack for the Australian conditions, particularly with at least one pink-ball Test likely, will be crucial, and Woakes' experience and skill set could provide valuable support alongside the high-speed options of Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Archer, and Josh Tongue.

McCullum concluded by noting that England will need versatile "ammo" for the flat wickets they may encounter in Australia.