Chris Woakes was matter-of-fact. A dislocated shoulder, Day 5 at The Oval, and no intention of stepping aside. In his words, Test cricket is not meant for substitutions. Speaking to The Guardian post-series, Woakes joined his captain, Ben Stokes, in rejecting the idea of injury replacements in the red-ball format. Woakes said, “I’m with Stokesy, to be honest. Having played for 18 years, the game is what it is: you lose a player and as a team you have to find a way. It makes you more resilient and the team stronger. I do understand why people might think it’s needed for freak injuries like mine but there would be too many grey areas or loopholes.” The debate was reignited during the series after Rishabh Pant fractured his foot at Lord’s. India head coach Gautam Gambhir had advocated for injury subs in such instances. Stokes had dismissed the notion outright, calling it “ridiculous.” Ironically, England found themselves a bowler short when Woakes was ruled out mid-Test in the decider at The Oval. Read also: Chris Woakes Praises Gill and Pant After Oval Test Finale Woakes Speaks on Public Reception and Personal Toll Despite his injury, Woakes walked out to bat and fielded briefly — a gesture that earned him admiration from the home crowd. But the 35-year-old distanced himself from the "hero" tag. He noted, “I mean, it’s not the way you want to be front-page news, you’d sooner it was for five wickets or a century. There have been a lot of ups and downs since but yeah, the love from the public has helped.” Reflecting on his abrupt turn from match-ready to injured, he added: “It is so weird to go from the start of a Test week, thinking ‘one last push’, to ending up on a physio’s table wondering what the future holds.” With the Ashes on the horizon, Woakes has now shifted focus to recovery — a path shared by Stokes, who is also nursing a shoulder injury.