England pacer Chris Woakes’s shoulder injury has reignited the debate around the injury replacements in Tests, with former fast bowler Stuart Broad suggesting that replacement rule would improve the quality and standard of the cricket.
On Day One, Woakes walked off the field after he landed awkwardly on his left shoulder and stayed down clutching it while saving a ball hit to the boundary by Karun Nair at long-off, which ruled him out of the remainder of the ongoing fifth Test.
England’s Chris Woakes in pain after injuring his shoulder near the boundary rope while fielding on Thursday. Pic/Bipin Patel
Earlier, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant retired hurt on Day One in Manchester, but courageously returned to the crease the next day with a broken right foot. “There are decent arguments either way, aren’t there? 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,” Broad told Sky Sports.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is also in favour of an injury replacement. “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.
“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,” Karthik said.
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