Chris Woakes – I don’t rule out playing in the Ashes in Australia

At 35, Chris Woakes is suddenly the highest-ranking player in the English bowling attack.

Having watched Stuart Broad and now James Anderson make their final appearance in back-to-back home Tests at the Oval in 2023 and at Lord’s this week, he heads to Trent Bridge next week for the second Test against West Indies knowing he is now the wise old head for a new generation of England seamers looking to follow in their big footsteps.

“I feel incredibly old,” Woakes said at Lord’s as Anderson’s farewell got underway. “But it’s a lovely occasion. This week it was just really nice to be part of Jimmy’s last game. I was very lucky to get to play with him for so long and the lessons and little things I’ve learnt from him over the years have definitely made me a better player. I feel very lucky to get to bowl with England’s all-time best.”

“I’ve watched Stu and Jimmy develop as they’ve gotten older and I still hope that I can potentially achieve the same.”Chris Woakes believes he can get even better at 35

“He was always there when he was in the middle giving little bits of advice,” Woakes added. “He reads conditions and throws better than anyone I’ve ever seen. The way he talks about what throws work on the ground so early on is really incredible. It’s easy to think it’s a given and you just get it, but actually he’s the best at it. I didn’t throw a wobble ball until Jimmy started talking to me about it, so that was great.”

Perhaps the most tangible benefit of his seniority will come when he gets his turn at Trent Bridge for what is, fittingly, his 50th Test match. For the first time in his career, and certainly on home soil, Woakes can look forward to being first choice at the ends, although that was not something he particularly cared about in the recent Lord’s Test.

“I haven’t thought about that!” he joked. “Maybe… that would be nice. But it worked out quite well for this game because Jimmy prefers this end (pavilion) and I actually prefer the other end (children’s room)!”

However, when it comes to his behaviour on the field, Woakes stressed that he does not want to change the way he plays, but acknowledged that there may be some subtle changes in his approach.

“Of course, a lot of new players will get the chance to take (England) forward,” he said. “But I will try to give 100% and fulfil my role for the team as best as I can.”

“Obviously it will be a little different when I get the new ball,” he added. “For most of my career I’ve always been first in line, so that’s something I might have to deal with in the future. Otherwise you try to show your skills and when a new player comes into the team you still try to pass on a bit of knowledge.”

“I’ve been around long enough to hopefully be able to do that. Maybe now that Stu and Jim are done, I’ll have to do that a little more – especially more on the field than off it. That’s probably the only big thing.”

Off the field, of course, there won’t be quite as many changes in the dressing room. Anderson will remain in a bowling mentor role for the remainder of the West Indies series, with the prospect of making that position a more permanent one should he feel it is suitable for the next step in his career.

“I’m looking forward to not getting splashed when I jump over one,” Woakes joked. “Obviously it will be different but I think it will be very, very good as well. He obviously won’t have those emotions that he has when he’s out there playing and being a main bowler for the team. So I think he’ll be very good in that role as well, not just in the summer but hopefully in the future.”

Whether Woakes himself is part of the team’s long-term plans remains to be seen. His ability in home conditions is undeniable, not least in last summer’s Ashes where he won the Compton-Miller Medal after helping to turn the series on its head after taking 19 wickets in the final three Tests.

However, he was left out of this year’s tour of India, having come to terms with the fact that his overseas bowling record (36 wickets at 51.88) is considerably less impressive than his home figures (114 at 22.04). Ben Stokes has his team’s next target explicitly in his sights on the 2025-26 Ashes, and Woakes is relaxed about his position in the pecking order, with a career-high 16 wickets at 51.68 in Australia.

“I just don’t rule anything out,” he said. “All my career in England I’ve always just looked at the next game, the next series, trying to be in the best shape possible. As soon as you look too far ahead you get caught off guard and suddenly that’s a million miles away and you forget what you need to be doing in that moment.”

“It would be hard for me to stand here and say I’m going to be the opening bowler in these Ashes,” he conceded. “Obviously my away record is probably not as good as my home record. But at the same time I’ve seen how Stu and Jimmy have developed as they’ve gotten older and I’m still hopeful that I can potentially achieve the same. But right now I’m looking at Trent Bridge and I really can’t look any further than that.”

Woakes’ return to the England team comes after a tough few months. He flew home early from the IPL following the death of his father in May and then took a short break from his Warwickshire duties after being left out of England’s T20 World Cup squad.

“It was one of those things in life that you probably never really believe is going to happen until it happens,” he said. “When I was trying to get back into cricket it was quite hard to concentrate on the job but once you’re back out there, and wearing the England shirts in particular, it reminds you how lucky we are to be doing what we do.”

“When you see Jimmy this week you know it doesn’t last forever and you have to try to enjoy every moment of being part of this team. My approach at the moment is to put things in perspective and just be happy to be here and try to give 110%.”