ENG vs IND: Reports - Chris Woakes likely to miss Ashes tour after shoulder dislocation, surgery seems imminent

England might have to keep Chris Woakes out of their plans for the upcoming Ashes tour as the veteran seam-bowling all-rounder has dislocated his shoulder during the ongoing fifth and final Test against India at The Oval in London.

The injury occurred at the fag end on Day 1 as Woakes attempted to stop a boundary. With around thirty minutes left in the day's play and damp outfield conditions caused by persistent overcast weather, the England all-rounder slipped and fell awkwardly near the boundary rope, dislocating his left shoulder.

As per a report by The Telegraph, scans have confirmed that the injury is serious, and surgery is being considered as a likely possibility. However, further assessments will be needed to understand the extent of damage and the time of recovery.

Woakes had returned to England's Test setup for the first time since December to play the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He had recovered from an ankle injury. The seasoned campaigner took 10 wickets in the first four Tests and dismissed KL Rahul at The Oval before his series came to an abrupt end.

Woakes finished with 11 wickets at an average of 52.18 and a strike rate of 98.73. He also scored a crucial 38 runs with the bat in the first innings of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. If Woakes has to go under the knife, he would be out of cricket for quite some time. For instance, Ollie Pope has suffered several shoulder injuries in his career and typically spends around four months in rehabilitation before returning to top-level cricket. The 36-year-old could be ruled out for a similar time frame.

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England's pace attack has been bolstered in recent times, with the likes of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson returning from injuries. Mark Wood is also very close to making a comeback. While Woakes' injury is a dampener for the Three Lions, it might not impede them as they look to reclaim the Ashes Down Under.