'It is a shame that they won't be playing in England' - Chris Woakes shares views on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket

Chris Woakes, who had been out of action since January 2025 due to an ankle injury, is playing the second four-day game between India A and England Lions in Northampton. On Friday, June 6, the veteran all-rounder made the new ball talk, and he picked up the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran. Later in the day, he dismissed Karun Nair. These were LBW dismissals.

Woakes has been named in England's 14-man squad for the first Test in the five-match series against India, starting on June 20. The 36-year-old said that it is a shame that stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be playing Test cricket anymore. They retired from the longest format last month amid the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. However, Woakes admitted that the absence of Kohli and Rohit won't make India pushovers for England in the five-match Test series.

"Had some good battles with Virat and Rohit over the years. For the game itself, it is a shame that they won't be there. But Indian cricket has so much depth that players that come in, I am sure they will be of very high standard who would have proven themselves in some way or another," Woakes was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.

"They'll be hard, regardless of the conditions, where you are playing them. Indian batters are always pretty good. It'll be a tough challenge," he added.

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Woakes praises KL Rahul for his splendid century on Day 1

Fans who came to the County Ground in Nottingham watched KL Rahul put on a show on a green track on Friday. The opening batter scored a majestic 116 off 168 deliveries and earned praise from Woakes.

"KL played really well. Good hundred on a wicket which did a bit all day, there was periods when it went quiet when there wasn't much in the wicket. I think it did a bit for most of the day," Woakes said.

On Day 2, India A were bowled out for 348. England Lions lost the wicket of Ben McKinney before Lunch. Anshul Kamboj got the breakthrough for India A. The hosts are 290 runs behind the visitors' first-innings total.