Veteran England player Chris Woakes lost his father recently and it is tough for him to focus on the game amid this situation. However, the veteran pacer also stated that taking the field after putting on the whites for England is a privileged job at the end of the day. Notably, Woakes hadn’t played any cricket since February until returning to county cricket to prepare for the home summer as well. He announced on June 1st via his official social media handle that his father passed away not too long ago but shared his willingness to return as his father loved it.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Woakes said as quoted by Sky Sports: “It was one of those things in life that you probably never really think’s going to happen until it does. Trying to get back into cricket, it has been quite hard to focus on the day job but once you get back out there and particularly putting on the England whites, it reminds you how lucky we are to do what we do. My approach at the minute is to put things in perspective, and just be happy to be here and try and give 110 per cent.”

The veteran also played a key role in helping draw the Ashes series last year, taking 19 wickets in three Tests at 18.16 as well. However, the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s saw him manage only one wicket across both innings. With England’s focus already on the Ashes series next year Down Under, Woakes believes the pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad’s evolution inspires him that he could lead the attack in Australia as well.

“It would be hard for me to just stand here and say I’ll be the opening bowler in the Ashes because obviously my away record isn’t as good as at home. But at the same time, I’ve looked at Stuart [Broad] and Jimmy [Anderson] evolve as they’ve got older and I still hope that I can potentially do the same,” Chris Woakes concluded.