Woakes Regrets Missed Opportunities as India Seizes Control on Day 1 at Edgbaston

Chris Woakes, the English fast bowler, expressed his frustration after several close calls went against his team on the opening day of the Edgbaston Test against India. Woakes believed that early wickets could have drastically altered the course of the day.

Chris Woakes celebrates a wicket on day one. © Getty

Woakes's frustration stemmed from two key incidents. The first involved Karun Nair, where a delivery hitting Nair's back pad was deemed not out despite the batter not offering a shot. The second incident involved Yashasvi Jaiswal, with the ball appearing to just clip the leg stump.

"We could have easily had them 30 for 3," Woakes stated, reflecting on the impact of those decisions. "It was a pretty frustrating morning, really."

DRS Debate

Woakes also weighed in on the Decision Review System (DRS), acknowledging its overall positive impact on the game. However, he suggested a tweak to the rule, arguing that if a batter leaves the ball and it still hits the stumps, it should be considered out, regardless of how much of the ball is impacting.

"In general, DRS has been good for the game," Woakes said. "The only thing I would like to come in is that if a batsman decides to leave the ball and it's still hitting the stumps, I think that should be out."

Despite the challenging morning, Woakes found success later in the day, dismissing Nitish Reddy with a delivery that sharply tailed in to hit the stumps.

Woakes's Performance

Woakes ended the day with figures of 2-59 in 21 overs, a performance made even more special by playing at his home ground in Edgbaston.

"It felt like the stumps were in play all day," Woakes commented on the pitch conditions.

Reflecting on the significance of playing at his home venue, Woakes added, "Across a career, you don't get that many games at your home venue... They are really special weeks."

Despite Woakes's efforts, Shubman Gill's century helped India reach a commanding position of 310/5 at the end of the first day.