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As England prepares for the second Test of their series against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Chris Woakes finds himself stepping into a new role as the senior seamer in the team. At 35, Woakes is now the elder statesman of England’s bowling attack, following the recent retirements of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. In an exclusive interview at Lord’s, Woakes shared his thoughts on this transition, his relationship with Anderson, and his future aspirations in Test cricket.
A New Era for England’s Seamers
Woakes spoke candidly about the emotional experience of witnessing Anderson’s final Test at Lord’s. “It makes me feel incredibly old,” Woakes admitted, reflecting on the significance of Anderson’s farewell. “But it’s a lovely occasion. This week, it’s just been really nice to be a part of Jimmy’s last game. I’ve been very lucky to have played for a long period of time with him, and the lessons and little nuggets that I’ve learned from him across the years have certainly made me a better player. I feel very fortunate to have bowled with England’s best ever.”
He continued to express his admiration for Anderson’s approach to the game. “He’s always been there at mid-off, giving little words of advice,” Woakes said. “He assesses conditions and pitches better than anyone I’ve seen. The way he talks about what deliveries are working on the surface so early on is just incredible, really. It’s very easy to think that that’s just a given and you just pick it up, but actually he is the best at doing that. I didn’t bowl a wobble-ball until Jimmy started talking to me about it. So that’s been huge.”
Preparing for the Future
As he prepares for his 50th Test match, Woakes acknowledged that his role within the team is evolving. “Naturally, you’re going to see a lot more new players being given opportunities to move [England] forward,” he said. “But I’ll try and give 100%, and try and do my role as well as I can for the team.”
He also spoke about the potential changes to his bowling strategy, especially if given the new ball. “It’ll be slightly different if I was given the new ball,” he added. “The majority of my career I’ve come on first-change so that’s something that I’ll maybe need to get my head around moving forward. Other than that, you try and deliver your skills and, whenever there is a new guy coming into the team, you still try and pass on a little bit of knowledge.”
Woakes is also looking forward to the continued presence of Anderson in a mentoring role for the remainder of the West Indies series. “I’m looking forward to not getting a spray when I dive over one,” he joked. “Obviously, it’ll be different, but I think it will also be very, very good. He obviously won’t have that emotion that he has when he’s out there playing and being a primary bowler for the team. So I think he’ll be very good in that role as well, for not just the summer but hopefully moving forwards.”
The Long-Term Future
As England sets its sights on the 2025-26 Ashes series, Woakes remains open about his long-term future in the team. “I just don’t rule anything out,” he said, addressing the possibility of being part of the Ashes squad in 2025-26. “Throughout my England career, I’ve just looked at the very next game, the very next series, and tried to be in the best shape possible. As soon as you start looking too far ahead, you get caught off-guard, and all of a sudden, that’s a million miles away and you forget what you need to do in that present moment in time.”
He acknowledged the challenge of improving his record in overseas conditions compared to his success at home. “It’d be hard for me to stand here and say I’ll be the opening bowler in that Ashes,” he conceded. “Obviously my away record probably isn’t as good as my home. But at the same time, I’ve looked at Stu and Jimmy evolve as they’ve got older, and I still hope that I can potentially do the same. But for now, I’m looking at Trent Bridge, and it’s as far as I can look really.”
A Personal and Professional Revival
Woakes also reflected on the personal challenges he has faced in recent months, including the death of his father and his omission from the T20 World Cup squad. “It was one of those things in life that you probably never really think’s going to happen until it does,” he said. “Trying to get back into cricket, it has been quite hard to focus on the day job but once you get back out there and particularly putting on the England whites, it reminds you how lucky we are to do what we do.”
He concluded by emphasizing his renewed perspective on his cricket career. “Seeing Jimmy this week, you know it doesn’t last forever and you have to try and enjoy every moment that you’re a part of this team,” Woakes said. “My approach at the minute is to put things in perspective, and just be happy to be here and try and give 110%.”
As Woakes prepares for his milestone 50th Test and the future of England’s bowling attack, his reflections offer a poignant look at both his career and the evolving landscape of English cricket.
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