Rishabh Pant shares playful farewell to Chris Woakes following international retirement
New Delhi: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant took a light-hearted swipe at England all-rounder Chris Woakes, who announced his international retirement on Monday.
Pant posted a warm message for Woakes, who had unintentionally injured him during the fifth Test in Manchester earlier this year. Pant had fractured his foot while attempting a reverse sweep against the English all-rounder.
“Happy Retirement, Woakesy. You have been amazing on the field. Lots of discipline, a big smile and always good vibes. Now you can finally give that bowling arm a rest, and my foot too. You definitely left a mark on me before retirement. Wishing you a fantastic journey ahead in whatever you choose,” Pant wrote on his Instagram story.
Woakes concluded a 14-year international career, featuring in 217 matches for England and claiming two World Cup titles, including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
The all-rounder remains open to playing county cricket and franchise leagues globally. In a heartfelt social media post, he said, “The moment has come, and I have decided the time is right for me to retire from international cricket. Playing for England was something I aspired to do since I was a kid dreaming in the back garden, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived out those dreams. Representing England, wearing the Three Lions and sharing the field with teammates over the last 15 years, many of whom have become lifelong friends, are things I will look back on with the greatest pride.”
Since his debut in 2011, Woakes has amassed 396 wickets and 3,705 runs across formats, making him England’s eighth-highest wicket-taker of all time. He scored 2,034 runs at an average of 25.11 in 62 Tests, including one century and seven fifties, alongside 192 wickets at 29.61, including five five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul.
Woakes was particularly dominant in home conditions, taking 148 wickets in 39 Tests at an average of 23.87, with five five-wicket hauls and a ten-for, while scoring 1,275 runs at 27.71, including a century and six fifties.
The 36-year-old last appeared for England during their ICC World Test Championship campaign, which began with a home series against India earlier this summer. Notably, he displayed immense courage by batting on the final day of the fifth Test at The Oval with a shoulder dislocation and one arm in a sling.
