Photo via CricTracker

Chris Woakes calls out ECB over 'cold' handling of Ashes omission

Former England all-rounder Chris Woakes has publicly criticized the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and its managing director, Rob Key, over the handling of his exclusion from the 2025/26 Ashes squad—a decision that marked the end of his international career. Woakes, who played 217 matches for England including 62 Tests, made his final Test appearance against India at The Oval in August 2025, where he batted despite dislocating his shoulder earlier in the match.

Despite his efforts, he was left out of the Ashes team, leading to his immediate retirement from international cricket. Key later praised Woakes’ contributions, calling him one of the finest players to represent England, but Woakes now says he has had little contact with Key since, describing the process as 'cold' and 'shabby.' He noted that the conversation about his future should have been private rather than announced publicly, though he acknowledged Key’s busy schedule and the ECB’s focus on the Ashes series at the time.

Up nextCricket· 19m ago

Sammy hopes India series heroics help West Indies attract financial backing