Visakhapatnam [India], Nov.16 :England Test skipper Alastair Cook has said that his side will make a late call if they would stick with the same playing XI that played in Rajkot Test or would rest seamer Chris Woakes, who is reportedly struggling with knee niggle, for the second match of the five-match series against India beginning on Thursday in Visakhapatnam.
Woakes had reportedly sustained a knee injury during the drawn first Test, thus, prompting speculation that pace spearhead James Anderson could return to the side after regaining full fitness following a shoulder injury.
Although Cook insisted that Woakes is 'fine to play', he admitted that the latter was suffering from a bowling niggle and from the wear and tear of bowling.
"Woakes is the one we're looking at because of the amount of overs he has bowled over the last six or seven weeks.
He was outstanding in Rajkot. So we will have to make a decision. He has just got a bowling niggle really. Just the normal wear and tear of bowling, so he's fine to play," Cook was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
In case Woakes is rested for the upcoming Test, England would face a tough call whether to pick Anderson or recall Steven Finn or Jake Ball.
"It's a real tough one. We know what we've got coming up but the way the 11 guys played in the last game was outstanding. So it's either the rotation policy or do you stick with what we've got. That's the decision we've got to make," Cook said. Earlier, the opening match between the two sides ended in a dramatic draw after skipper Virat Kohli (unbeaten at 49) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (unbeaten at 32) defended stoutly and saved the blushes for their side.
Source: ANI
