In one of the most extraordinary displays of bravery in Test cricket history, Chris Woakes batted for England despite having his left arm strapped inside strapped to his body due to a dislocated shoulder.
Woakes received a tremendous reception as he came in at the fall of the ninth wicket and was able to avoid facing any deliveries but England ultimately fell short of victory in the first Test against India, losing 4-20 on the final morning to go down by six runs.
India’s stirring victory means they have levelled the series 2-2 with Mohammed Siraj bowling them to glory with 5-104 in taking three of the final four wickets.
With seven needed to win, Siraj bowled Gus Atkinson for 17 after he and Woakes had put on 10 runs to get England within touching distance of the target of 367.
England started day five needing 35 runs to record a famous victory over India after bad light and torrential rain ended an extraordinary fourth day at The Oval.
Harry Brook and Joe Root shared a superb fourth-wicket partnership of 195 to put England on the brink of completing a record run chase that would have given them a 3-1 series win.
But when they resumed on day five, keeper Jamie Smith fell quickly for two, caught behind off Siraj with Jamie Overton adding nine before he was trapped in front by the Indian seamer.
Chris Woakes runs between the wickets with his arm in a sling. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Josh Tongue was bowled by Prasidh Krishna for a duck, leaving England 17 runs shy of their target so Woakes strode out from The Oval pavilion to a raucous ovation.
He had been ruled out for the rest of the match after dislocating his shoulder while fielding in the first innings.
Woakes was at the non-striker’s end when he came out to bat and Atkinson farmed the strike with India botching a run-out chance when the last pair stole a bye off the last ball of a Siraj over when keeper Dhruv Jurel missed the stumps with the injured England all-rounder well short of his ground and grimacing as he bravely tried to scamper through.
Former England captain Mike Atherton said Woakes had been spotted batting one-handed in the nets the previous day to prepare for the possibility of being needed.
Atkinson was eventually bowled by Siraj as he tried to belt a boundary to get England home, sparking scenes of wild jubilation among the Indians, who avoided a series defeat in the most remarkable of finishes.
