After his heroics in his comeback Test at Headingley, England all-rounder Chris Woakes said that he had doubts over his time in Test cricket earlier this year. He felt his chance would never come as England did well last year without him on the side. He also played an instrumental role in England’s three-wicket victory in the 3rd Ashes Test at Headingley. He picked up six wickets and scored the winning runs, staying unbeaten on 32 in the fourth innings as well.

As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he said: “It’s quite emotional actually. You sometimes think the ship has sailed, of course you do. Especially when the team is going so well last summer and I wasn’t involved, obviously I had injuries and stuff. You do wonder whether that ship has sailed. But I made a big decision at the start of summer not to go to India and, you know, it’s days like this make that sort of decision pay off, comfortably.”

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However, he was sidelined from the action for over a year due to a knee injury. And, the Headingley Test was also his first under the new captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. Woakes revealed that the self-belief of making it 3-2 in the 2023 Ashes has always been there, but said that England should take it step by step. The fourth Test will begin at Old Trafford on July 19.

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“It’s always been there, in that dressing-room the belief is we can win 3-2. You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to play what’s in front of you, each ball, each day, each session, each Test match as it comes. I’d imagine when you’re so close to getting something, the harder it gets, and I’m sure the Aussies will be feeling that now. Once you get so close to something, it’s actually hard to get that over the line, isn’t it? We’ve got turn up in Manchester and put in another performance. They’re a bloody good side, they’re an extremely good side. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them again,” he concluded.