‘I feel really jealous when I watch him play’ - Ravichandran Ashwin extols Chris Woakes for latter's stellar Ashes 2023 campaign

Team India veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lavished massive praises on England pacer Chris Woakes following the latter’s impressive campaign in the recently concluded Ashes 2023. Notably, Woakes played a pivotal role in England’s success in two of the final three fixtures which eventually helped his side get on level terms 2-2 in the series.

Despite not playing the first Ashes Test, Woakes was adjudged player of the series as he picked 19 wickets in three matches, lacing it with one four-wicket haul and a five-for. With this, veteran spinner Ashwin heaped praise on the pacer and stated that Woakes would easily make the cut in the XI, had he played in any other country.

“He (Chris Woakes) is someone who keeps getting better with every game he plays. I still can’t understand how he is still not a regular in this England Test XI. If he was born in any other country, barring injuries, he would have been one of the top three names in the playing XI,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“I feel really jealous when I watch him play. He makes it look really easy. He is a natural athlete. If you look at the way he runs, you will feel as if someone trained him how to run a huddle. On the field, once he finishes his spell, he will not remain stiff at all. His bowling action is so natural and his run-up itself is so good, it makes you go, ‘wow’,” Ashwin added.

Woakes will get a standard slot in the XI after Broad’s retirement: Ravichandran Ashwin

Furthermore, Ashwin expressed that the English pacer would get a regular spot in the XI following the retirement of Stuart Broad. Notably, Broad retired from the international circuit after the fifth Test and drew curtains on his illustrious career after picking 604 wickets in 167 Tests.

“I don’t think any fast bowler, or be it any bowler, will get close to 600 Test wickets in the future generation. What an extraordinary career. Both Broad and Anderson have been great servants of English cricket. (Stuart) Broad’s retirement will mean Chris Woakes will get a standard slot in the playing XI,” Ashwin concluded.