England all-rounder Chris Woakes has shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s absence from the ongoing India-England Test series due to personal reasons. While acknowledging that fans would feel the absence of the batting maestro, he expressed his hope that Kohli and his family were doing well amidst whatever circumstances they were facing.
Virat Kohli was originally included in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against England but withdrew from the series due to personal reasons. His absence extended to the subsequent three Tests as well, with the BCCI confirming that he remains unavailable for personal reasons. The board reiterated its support for Kohli’s decision during this time.
It would have been amazing to see Virat Kohli play against England- Chris Woakes
Chris Woakes, speaking to news agency ANI, expressed his thoughts regarding Virat Kohli’s absence from the ongoing Test series against England. The Warwickshire all-rounder said,
“Obviously the fans will be disappointed. It would have been amazing to see Virat Kohli play in the series. I hope he is okay and his family is okay. I just hope whenever he comes back to cricket he will be in a good place. I think we have been very lucky to have him play in so many games,”
Chris Woakes also commented on the closely contested Test series so far, describing it as “great to watch.”
It’s been a great series to watch, I am sure, the guys (England Cricket Team) love playing in India. Amazing place to play cricket. I think more exciting Test matches are coming up,” the 34-year-old stated.
England managed to stage a remarkable comeback from a precarious position to win the opening Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs. However, India bounced back strongly in the second Test in Visakhapatnam, registering a convincing 106-run victory to level the five-match series.
Jasprit Bumrah was the standout player– Chris Woakes
Jasprit Bumrah showcased his brilliance in the second Test match in Visakhapatnam, delivering a remarkable performance with the ball. He scalped six wickets for just 45 runs in the first innings and followed it up with another impactful display, taking three wickets for 46 runs in the second innings.
Bumrah’s exceptional bowling included some superb deliveries that accounted for the dismissals of key England batsmen like Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes, highlighting his skill and effectiveness irrespective of the conditions. Praising the Ace pacer from India, Chris Woakes stated,
“I have managed to keep a look at the score but could not watch it. It seems like an amazing Test series. In the last Test match, Jasprit Bumrah was the standout player, he is a world-class player. Across all the formats, he is one of the best if not the best at the moment. It’s great to see fast bowling executed well especially in this condition,”
The third Test of the India vs England series is scheduled to commence at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, February 15th.