England all-rounder Chris Woakes has left the ongoing tour of India on Thursday (February 25) without playing a single Test match as part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s rotation policy.
The 31-year-old has endured a frustrating winter as he was ignored in the last two series against Sri Lanka and South Africa and now didn’t get a single game against Team India despite being part of England squad for the first three Tests of the ongoing Test series in India.
Well, Woakes’ departure was pre-arranged to give him the break from the bio-secure bubble life and he is expected to return back to India for the upcoming three-match ODI series in March.
The ECB confirmed that Woakes has returned home as per pre-arranged plan to be with his wife Amie and their two young daughters, Ella and Evie-Louise.
The all-rounder became the latest player to be rested during the big tour as part of England’s much-debated rotation policy after Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Moeen Ali – who all are not available for the fourth and final Test against India starting March 4 in Ahmedabad.
However, Moeen, Buttler and Curran will return to India next week to prepare for the five-match T20I series starting on March 12.
The rotation policy also saw wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood miss out on the first two Tests of the series as the two joined England's squad for the remainder of the ongoing Test series.
(With PTI Inputs)
