England all-rounder Chris Woakes has returned back from the Test tour as part of the ECB’s rotation policy. Woakes was with English team on the tours of South Africa, Sri Lanka and India but didn’t play a single match during the course.
The right-handed all-rounder last played for England in an ODI against Australia in September last year.
ECB’s rotation policy has received some criticism from the former cricketers. “India are going to come to England in the summer. If they are 2-0 up or 1-0 up, will they rotate? I don’t think they will. These tours, Englishmen going to Australia or India, they are the pinnacle….if you win in those conditions, they are remembered for a long long time. And I know for a fact when India come to England and if they go up 1-0, they would not be rotating their best bowlers, or leaving somebody out, they want to win,” Ian Bell had said earlier while talking to ESPN Cricinfo.
Moeen Ali and wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler had departed from the series after playing the first two fixtures while Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood joined the squad for the last two matches against India as part of the same policy.
England presently trail the four-match series 1-2 and have been knocked out of the World Test Championship. If they manage to win the fourth Test the Australia will play the final of the WTC against New Zealand at Lord’s but if they draw or suffer a defeat in this encounter, India will march into the finals.