Chris Woakes Ready To Miss Home Test For IPL Final To Boost His Chances Of Playing In The T20 World Cup

Indian seam-bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes has said that he would opt to miss a home Test should his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals makes it to the summit clash this season as he feels that ‘opportunities’ like this wouldn’t come often as he aims to claim a spot in England’s T20 World Cup squad later this year.

Chris Woakes will be turning out for the Delhi Capitals this year after the franchise retained him despite him pulling out of the tournament last year.

Delhi Capitals made their way to the finals last year and should they do an encore of it this season then Chris Woakes will miss the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s which is slated to commence on June 02. The IPL final will take place on May 30.

“If I’m not in the Delhi XI, I’ll speak to Ricky (Ponting) and the powers-that-be. Of course I want to play at Lord’s, my record there (27 wickets at 11 runs apiece, a career-best 137 with the bat) speaks for itself. But those Tests were arranged late,” Chris Woakes told ‘The Guardian’.

Woakes was a part of the English Test squad against India but he went home after the third game due to rotafion policy after having not played a single game.

The seam-bowling all-rounder will join the Delhi Capitals set-up in Mumbai on Sunday. He hasn’t been a part of England’s T20 squad since 2015.

“England want us to broaden our horizons in the IPL and, at this stage of my career, these opportunities won’t keep coming up. If it means missing a Test, that unfortunately might be the case,” he said.

“The players are in an awkward position, though. This summer is big, especially with a Test series against India to follow.” Woakes added.

Woakes added that he is looking to repay the faith that Delhi Capitals has shown in him by retaining him this year. He also revealed that he has been working on improving his death-bowling skills and power-hitting to give himself the best chance of making it to England’s T20 World Cup squad later this year.

“Delhi have been loyal to me and I want to repay that. It’s my third season in the IPL overall (after spells with Kolkata and Bangalore) and I always come back a better cricketer,” Woakes said. “I don’t want to rule out the T20 World Cup at all, I still see myself as a three-format cricketer,” he said.

“I’m looking to work on my variations, death bowling and explore some power-hitting options. Hopefully I can give Morgs (captain Eoin Morgan) and England a reminder of what I can do,” said Chris Woakes.

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