With a high-stakes five-Test series against India looming next month, England are ramping up their preparations—and veteran allrounder Chris Woakes is set to make a timely return to red-ball cricket.
Woakes will feature for England Lions in their upcoming two-match unofficial Test series against India A, beginning May 30. It will be a critical fitness test for the 36-year-old, who is recovering from an ankle injury that delayed the start of his season.
While Woakes gears up for his comeback, England’s hopes of seeing Jofra Archer back in whites have been dashed yet again. Archer, who had been pencilled in for the second Lions fixture starting June 6 in Northampton, has been ruled out due to a right thumb injury sustained during the IPL earlier this month.
Ben Stokes, meanwhile, remains a wildcard. The England Test captain is currently making his long-awaited return in the ongoing match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge—his first since suffering a hamstring tear in December during the New Zealand tour.
Should his body respond well, he could feature in one of the Lions fixtures as part of his phased return to full intensity. England will be closely monitoring his workload, given the heavy schedule of ten Tests against India and Australia over the next six months.
England have named a strong 15-man squad for the two Lions games—a notable departure from their recent trend of under-strength warm-up matches.
Somerset’s young wicketkeeper-batter James Rew will lead the side. Rew is currently the reserve batter in the senior Test squad and is viewed as one of England’s brightest young prospects.
The squad also features a number of names pushing hard for senior Test call-ups. Essex’s Jordan Cox, initially selected for the Zimbabwe Test before a side strain forced him out, returns to action.
Legspinner Rehan Ahmed is joined for the first time by his younger brother Farhan Ahmed, an emerging offspinner who has impressed for Nottinghamshire this season.
Durham opener Ben McKinney, a former England Under-19 captain, could also stake a claim for a Test berth amid Zak Crawley’s struggles. Left-arm quick Josh Hull, who made a one-off Test debut against Sri Lanka last summer, is another notable inclusion.
But all eyes will be on Woakes. Despite being 36, his value in English conditions is immense. He was named Player of the Series in the 2023 Ashes for his 19 wickets at 18.15, and followed it up with 24 more wickets last summer after stepping into James Anderson’s lead bowler role.
Now, with competition from the likes of Sam Cook—who is set to debut against Zimbabwe—Woakes has a point to prove.
Speaking on the significance of the Lions series, ECB Performance Director Ed Barney said:
“This series against a strong India A side is a huge opportunity for an exciting and highly talented group of players. It will provide an opportunity both individually and collectively to excel on the international stage as we continue to succession plan for England’s future needs.”
