Woakes injury mars England’s bizarre opening day

England somehow took six India wickets on a bizarre opening day of the decisive Test that was marred by a shoulder injury to Chris Woakes.

Woakes was hurt chasing the ball to the boundary late in the day at The Oval and went from the field with his left arm in a makeshift sling, a further injury to a depleted England pace-bowling attack.

It is an injury that could have serious ramifications to the outcome of the series. England, needing to avoid defeat to secure a 2-1 win, could be left with three seamers and the spin of Jacob Bethell and Joe Root.

In the 64 overs that were possible either side of two chunky rain delays, England reduced the tourists to 204-6.

The scoreline does not tell the full story of England’s bowling, which veered from sublime to ridiculous after they won the toss for the fifth time in the series.

The home side’s effort was typified by Josh Tongue, who at times struggled to keep the ball on the cut strip and also bowled two near-unplayable deliveries to have both Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja caught behind.

The curious cricket did not end there. India captain Shubman Gill, in such prolific form this series, ran himself out trying to take a ludicrous single. Bowler Gus Atkinson picked up the ball in his follow-through and his direct hit left the turning Gill short of his ground.

That was part of a good day for Atkinson, comfortably England’s best bowler in his first senior game in more than two months after a hamstring injury.

From 153-6, India hung in through the determination of Karun Nair, who ended the day 52 not out.

It left honours just about even, though England will surely now have to find a way to get through without Woakes.

England were already without injured captain Ben Stokes, long-term absentee Mark Wood, and exhausted pair Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse. Matthew Potts and Sam Cook have been overlooked.

To field a makeshift attack in such a crucial Test is far from ideal, so the injury to Woakes is a huge blow. At the age of 36, there must be a concern for his future as an international cricketer.

It came at the end of a surreal day. The weather, weary bodies and injuries that forced both teams into four changes apiece contributed to an odd spectacle.

Standing in for Stokes, Ollie Pope would have been desperate to win the toss under a leaden sky on a green pitch. Gill again called incorrectly, an incredible 15th consecutive toss that India’s men have lost across formats. This was the 22nd successive first-class match on this ground where the captain winning the toss has chosen to field.

Given the conditions, England probably should be in a stronger position. The value of India’s effort with the bat will be fully revealed when they come to bowl. It should not be difficult for the tourists to show greater consistency and therefore exploit the assistance on offer.

Despite their mixed day with the ball, and the loss of Woakes, England are still one strong batting effort away from winning the series. They will have to dig incredibly deep over the final four days of the Test summer.

England have bowled better on flatter surfaces in this series and got nowhere near the same rewards. The 30 extras the hosts conceded were India’s third-highest scorer.

With 11 wickets, Tongue was the leading bowler when he was left out after two Tests. To say his return was a day of contrasts would be an understatement.

His first ball, to KL Rahul, was sprayed down the leg side for five wides. He bowled two more wides in his first over, including another that went for five. Despite the wides, Tongue’s first spell of five overs went for 18 runs and, when he returned after the two rain breaks, the Nottinghamshire man still missed his lines between his two jaffas.

Coming round the wicket to the left-handed pair of Sudharsan and Jadeja, he bowled two near-identical deliveries that angled in, nipped away and took the edge.

If Tongue was wild, Atkinson was accurate, allaying any fears about his own lack of cricket. He needed only seven balls to have Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw on review, showed a cool head to execute the Gill run out and found extra bounce to get the poking Dhruv Jurel caught at second slip.

Overton, winning a second Test cap three years after his first, gradually improved as the day wore on. Woakes had Rahul chop on to his own stumps but overall struggled with his line before the desperate bad luck of the injury.

India’s week began with head coach Gautam Gambhir rowing with Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis about their use of the Oval square during training.

Their problems on the square continued with the calamitous run out of Gill, who at times in the series has seemed immovable.

Gill had been running well with Sudharsan, only to produce a horrendous error of judgement. His defensive shot rolled barely two pitches away. The captain set off, was sent back by Sudharsan, too late to beat Atkinson’s swoop and accurate throw.

Nair has endured a mixed series and was left out of the fourth Test, so his inclusion in the India side was a surprise. His resistance repaid India’s faith.

Nair had only four from his first 26 balls and he escaped on 12 when an inside edge off Woakes just missed the stumps. Gradually, he scored with fine glances as England often strayed on the pads.

His stand unbroken stand of 51 with Washington Sundar was invaluable. Nair went to 50 with a clip off Bethell’s left-arm spin, the first time he has made a half-century in Test cricket since an epic triple-century against England nine years ago.

England bowler Gus Atkinson speaking to the BBC:“It was a good day. There was pressure on for the bowling side with the conditions that were overhead. We didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. 200-6, we are happy with that. An early wicket tomorrow and we will be in good position.”

On his own comeback:“I was pleased. It has been two or so months since I last played for England. I was happy with how I bowled. I know the conditions and the pitch. I am very happy how it went.”–BBC