Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar offered his perspective on Chris Woakes' shoulder injury that eventually ruled the England all-rounder out of the ongoing fifth Test against India at The Oval.
During the 57th over of India's first innings on Day 1, Woakes walked off the field after he landed awkwardly on his left shoulder and stayed down clutching it while saving a ball hit to the boundary by Karun Nair at long-off.
Woakes received medical attention from England physio, but it didn’t prove too effective as he made his way back to the dressing room.
"First and foremost, I don't understand fast bowlers trying to save one run. Your main job is to bowl. So that one run is not going to make a huge difference unless it is such a tight match, you are coming towards the end. I see these fast bowlers diving and sliding. I believe they should not be doing it," Gavaskar said on Sony Sports.
There is a rule of like-for-like replacement when a player is concussed. However, in any other scenario in which a player is injured, a substitute could be used for wicketkeeping or fielding, but not for batting or bowling.
"If it is an obvious injury and it is clearly something that you have seen happen. A break or fracture for example. There should be a like-for-like substitue. You are allowing for a wicketkeeper if he is injured, but not in the playing XI. For example we saw Dhruv Jurel coming and keeping wicket in the previous game (Manchester Test). You are allowing that because that is Rishabh Pant's speciality," Gavaskar added.
Notably, Pant too fractured his toe while batting in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Jurel donned the gloves as a substitute wicketkeeper for him but he didn't get to bat as per the current rules.
On the other hand, Woakes' absence in the fifth Test has left England with a bowler short. He bowled 14 overs on Day 1, returning with the figures of 1 for 46. His injury added to England's growing list of concerns, with the team already missing several key players at The Oval, including skipper Ben Stokes.
(With IANS Inputs)
