Chris Woakes has admitted that his winter of inactivity with England "felt like a bit of a waste", and revealed he had received apologies from team management and the ECB for the shared car ride that caused him to self-isolate Upon arrival in Sri Lanka in January.
Woakes has not played international cricket since last September, traveling to South Africa, Sri Lanka and India without a place in the starting XI in any format of the game. He was called back in the T20I squad this week for the first time in nearly six years, and while admitting that it came as a surprise, he said that he would find himself in the list of selectors ahead of the T20 World Cup later this year. Hoping to get pushed into thinking. .
"I haven't been in this team for a while and I see it as an opportunity," he said. "It's great for me to be back in the team. I don't take any team selection lightly, I'm definitely not here just to make numbers - if I get a chance I'll try to claim it. Me Also realize that some injuries are knocking, but I don't mind being part of this England team and raising my hand to be a part of this World Cup - with two World Cups.
T20 is the only format that Woakes has had playing time in the recent IPL and then in the Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast. After being named the PCA Men's Player of the Year last summer, Woakes was part of the ODI squad that traveled to South Africa to return without playing any games following bio-safety concerns. He then missed the first Test in Sri Lanka - a game he felt was "a shoe to play" - after being deemed a close contact of Moeen Ali, who tested positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in the country. did.
When the Test team came to India, Woakes was repeatedly ignored before returning home under the ECB's rotation policy, then from three ODIs due to the logistical demands of travel and quarantine required to rejoin the England bubble. Missed. "I just want to really put it behind me and see what's next," he said. "It's definitely been a tough seven or eight months since last September.
"It all leads to really depressing times. Not playing a single game all winter, after a summer, felt almost a waste to me. It's still great to be with the team but you want to play cricket and when When you're hot, get the most out of your form."
On the decision to send him and Moeen in a shared taxi from Birmingham to Heathrow, despite a multitude of protocols to protect players from possible Covid-19 transmission, Woakes said he had "vented out" his disappointment at the time. . The period in isolation is effectively giving him his place on the side.
"I felt like I was ready to play the first Test in Sri Lanka, and obviously what happened, so obviously it had a knock-on effect, [if] the team wins or the team does that. Well, all of a sudden. It becomes difficult to come back. That doesn't mean I would have played all the Test matches for the winter, but it could mean that I would have got a chance to put my hand up first in a strong performance. And then onwards Opinions about selection for Test matches could have been different.
"I vented my frustration at the time, and an apology was made. [no] stone was [spoiled], but unfortunately it was something we didn't understand properly, and I paid a price for it "
Woakes missed England's two-Test series against New Zealand earlier this month, after opting to move to the IPL after being picked up at auction by Delhi Capitals. That decision was agreed upon between the player and the ECB, with Woakes saying the time away from home had "taken its toll mentally" - but he was despite some pressing his case for a Test return against India later in the summer. Was curious to find a way. Opportunity to play red-ball cricket in the next six weeks.
"I spent a lot of time away from home during that period and it took a toll on me mentally," he said. "IPL was a huge decision that I took, it rests on my shoulders, but I thought it was a great opportunity to learn and play some cricket after winter.
"Those two Tests vs New Zealand were put in [schedule] quite late and I think the issue was as soon as I got out of isolation in London, I had to spend a few days at home, then play for Warwickshire to make myself .Available for any part of that test series. Then there's the tricky side of the covid restrictions and getting back into that bubble. Once we made that decision it was not really an option to play another test match. You have to start over Be in a bubble from now on.
"It's a real difficult situation. I felt I needed to freshen up and have some time at home with the young family. I put the pros and cons of missing that two-match series. It was in our hands, I Spoke to Spoons [head coach Chris Silverwood] and the rest of the backroom staff and they said 'As much as we think you should probably take a breather and get away from cricket, it's up to you. If you want to be a part of it' We will definitely let you go'.
"I decided a little break would do me good in the long run. They definitely know I want to play Test cricket, don't get me wrong. I haven't played much red-ball cricket, but they know I'm one I want to be a part of that Test team and I believe they want me to be a part of it so hopefully in India series I will be fit and firing and ready to play a big part in that.