Overview

• On the first day of the fifth Test at The Oval, Woakes dislocated his shoulder diving to stop a boundary and was relocated by team doctor Anita Biswas and physiotherapist Ben Davies after a 30-minute intervention.
• He is awaiting detailed scan results to determine the full extent of the damage before selecting a recovery path.
• A rehabilitation program could restore strength in about eight weeks, though it carries a risk of recurrence.
• Opting for surgery would likely require three to four months of recovery, jeopardising his ability to join the Ashes squad beginning November 21.
• His fitness decision is critical as he has become England’s most experienced seamer following the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.