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

Charlie Dean on how England are overcoming fitness, fielding, and pressure criticisms ahead of monumental home T20 World Cup

Charlie Dean on how England are overcoming fitness, fielding, and pressure criticisms ahead of monumental home T20 World Cup

Charlie Dean knows England head into the T20 World Cup with pressure firmly on their shoulders but says the players have put the work in to claim glor...

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt ruled out of three-match Metro Bank ODI series against New Zealand

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt ruled out of three-match Metro Bank ODI series against New Zealand

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been ruled out of the three-match Metro Bank ODI series against New Zealand as a precautionary measure, due to a...

Ollie Robinson: I thought England door was closed but Brendon McCullum, Rob Key say it's open ahead of New Zealand series

Ollie Robinson: I thought England door was closed but Brendon McCullum, Rob Key say it's open ahead of New Zealand series

Ollie Robinson has revealed England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key have both been in contact with him this season regarding...

County Championship: Durham's Emilio Gay and Surrey's Dom Sibley strengthen England call-up prospects with centuries

County Championship: Durham's Emilio Gay and Surrey's Dom Sibley strengthen England call-up prospects with centuries

England opener prospects Emilio Gay and Dom Sibley have strengthened their cases to be selected for the Test series against New Zealand with yet more...

England Women's big summer of cricket: Charlotte Edwards' side to play first-ever Test at Lord's ahead of T20 World Cup

England Women's big summer of cricket: Charlotte Edwards' side to play first-ever Test at Lord's ahead of T20 World Cup

It is gearing up to be a monumental summer for Charlotte Edwards and England's Women's cricket side.Games are coming thick and fast ahead of this year...

England vs New Zealand is chance for hosts to 'set standards' for big home cricketing summer says Charlie Dean

England vs New Zealand is chance for hosts to 'set standards' for big home cricketing summer says Charlie Dean

Charlie Dean says England can "set our standards" for their big home cricketing summer when they face New Zealand in the first ODI match of the multi-...