Chris Woakes admitted England were left wondering about what might have been after India ended Day 1 of the second Test at Edgbaston on 310/5. “We could easily have had them 30 for three,” the seamer said, referring to two close DRS calls and missed opportunities with the new ball that went in India’s favour.
India’s position of strength was built on Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 114 and a brisk 87 from Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. The visitors looked dominant for large parts of the day, but England believed they had their chances -- especially in the opening hour when KL Rahul was dismissed cheaply and Jaiswal survived a close lbw review.
“It felt like a day that could have been so different,” said Woakes, suggesting England were just a couple of wickets away from gaining the upper hand. Despite the frustration, the senior seamer struck a balanced tone, saying, “We actually look at it and say it’s probably been a very good day.”
Woakes highlighted the difficulty of extracting movement off a flat surface, noting that traditional seam-up bowling wasn’t as effective. “It didn’t feel like a massive nick-off wicket,” he said, adding that England focused on targeting the stumps and bowling tight lines.
England managed to peg India back at 211/5 before a defiant 99-run partnership between Gill and Ravindra Jadeja (41*) took the momentum away. Woakes believed that a couple of late wickets could have swung the narrative. “300 for seven would have been a very, very good day,” he remarked.
Playing at his home ground, Woakes also acknowledged the personal significance of the Test. “It’s a really special week,” he said, noting that this was only his fourth Test at Edgbaston, despite a long career with Warwickshire.
With the second new ball still relatively fresh, England will be eyeing early breakthroughs on Day 2 to tilt the balance back in their favour.
