Cricket Dec 07, 2025

England vs India: Should injury substitutions be allowed in cricket after Chris Woakes suffers shoulder scare on day one of fifth Test?

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
England vs India: Should injury substitutions be allowed in cricket after Chris Woakes suffers shoulder scare on day one of fifth Test?

For a second time in the England-India series, the question of whether Test cricket should allow for injury substitutions has arisen.

This time, it's an England player in question.

Seam bowler fielding late on day one of the fifth Test at The Kia Oval and will now miss the rest of the game.

Rishabh Pant, India's wicketkeeper-batter, retired hurt on the first day of the drawn fourth Test in Manchester but came back on the second day to continue his innings, despite scans confirming a fracture on his right foot.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) currently does not allow for full substitutions in Test cricket.

Teams are allowed to replace injured players in the field, but the "substitute shall not bowl or act as captain but may act as wicket-keeper only with the consent of the umpires".

However, if a player suffers a concussion, then a replacement is allowed.

This rule has been in place since 2019, when Australia's Steve Smith was hit in the neck with a 92mph bouncer from Jofra Archer, with Marnus Labuschagne replacing him and becoming the first concussion sub in Test cricket.

Cocnussion subs are allowed to bat and bowl.

SportNews' Dinesh Karthik said there may be scope to ask for an injury replacement in a Test if the match referee agrees with it.

"For the second time in this series, on day one of a Test match, an injury has happened where you get the feeling that the player couldn't participate in the Test match anymore," Karthik said.

"It begs the question that if it is a proper injury, like what we have noticed on the field with Woakes, maybe the team could ask for a replacement if the match referee feels it's okay."

Former England bowler Stuart Broad said there were arguments to be made on both sides, but a replacement would improve the quality and standard of the cricket.

"There are decent arguments either way, aren't there?" Broad said.

"It would certainly improve the standard and quality of cricket if you could keep it at 11-v-11 throughout the game, especially when it's unusual injuries, like Pant's last week or what has happened with Woakes.

"He has not come into the game with that sole injury or is trying to manage an injury."

England's captain Ben Stokes, who was ruled out of the fifth Test with a right shoulder injury that has a lay-off time of around "six to seven weeks", said the conversation about injury substitutions is "absolutely ridiculous".

Speaking to the media after the fourth Test, Sokes said: "I think this conversation around an injury replacement is absolutely ridiculous.

"There will be too many loopholes for teams to be able to go through. You pick your 11 for a game, and injuries are a part of the game.

"I completely understand the concussion replacement, because that's player welfare and safety.

"But I think the conversation should honestly stop around injury replacements, because if you stick me in an MRI scanner, I could get someone else in straight away.

"It could show that someone has a bit of inflammation around their knee and then they can then get another fresh bowler in.

"The conversation should be shut down."

After Pant's injury in the fourth Test, India coach Gautam Gambhir called for the introduction of injury replacements in Test cricket.

Gambhir believes that in instances similar to Pant's, an injury replacement should be allowed.

"Absolutely, I'm all for it," Gambhir said.

"If the umpires and the match referee see and feel that it's a major injury, I think it's very important.

"It's very important to have this rule where you can get a substitute - that is, if it's very visible.

"There's nothing wrong in doing that, especially in a series like this where it's been such a closely fought series in the previous three Test matches.

"Imagine if we had to play with 10 men against 11. How unfortunate would this be for us."

Watch day two of the fifth Test between England and India, at The Kia Oval, live on SportNews Cricket from 10.15am on Friday (first ball at 11am)

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on SportNews

Tags:

cricket news id:13404801

Share this article

Related Posts

James Anderson: Former England bowler to captain Lancashire in County Championship at age of 44 next season

James Anderson: Former England bowler to captain Lancashire in County Championship at age of 44 next season

Former England bowler Sir James Anderson has been named Lancashire's captain for next season's County Championship.The 43-year-old, England's all-time...

South Africa dismissed for lowest-ever T20 total of 74 as India win series opener by 101 runs in Cuttack

South Africa dismissed for lowest-ever T20 total of 74 as India win series opener by 101 runs in Cuttack

South Africa were all out for their lowest-ever total in T20 cricket, scoring only 74 as India won the series opener by 101 runs on Tuesday.Hardik Pan...

The Ashes 2025-26: Where did it all go wrong for England as Australia retain the urn in dominant fashion?

The Ashes 2025-26: Where did it all go wrong for England as Australia retain the urn in dominant fashion?

England's bid to regain the Ashes is over after three comprehensive defeats in the first three Tests of the five-match series in Australia, but where...

Ashes hopeful Jacob Bethell hits 71 and Asa Tribe a century but England Lions thumped by Australia A in Brisbane

Ashes hopeful Jacob Bethell hits 71 and Asa Tribe a century but England Lions thumped by Australia A in Brisbane

Jacob Bethell's 71 was one of the few highlights for the Lions as England's second-string suffered a thumping innings defeat to Australia A in the uno...

IPL auction 2026: Australia's Cameron Green becomes most expensive overseas player in tournament's history

IPL auction 2026: Australia's Cameron Green becomes most expensive overseas player in tournament's history

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has become the most expensive overseas player in IPL history after being picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for $2...

Ben Stokes: England captain says end of their Ashes dream 'hurts' and 'sucks' as Australia clinch series win in Adelaide

Ben Stokes: England captain says end of their Ashes dream 'hurts' and 'sucks' as Australia clinch series win in Adelaide

Ben Stokes says England's Ashes defeat "hurts" and "sucks" - but insists he wants to continue as captain.Stokes cut a disconsolate figure at the post-...