Chris Woakes, the popular England all-rounder, has announced his retirement from all international cricket, bringing to a close a nearly 15-year career that delivered two World Cup triumphs and a number of incredible Test memories.
Pleasure has been all mine. No regrets 🏴 pic.twitter.com/kzUKsnNehy
— Chris Woakes (@chriswoakes) September 29, 2025
The announcement came on Monday, September 29, just days after the 36-year-old was ruled out of contention for the winter Ashes tour to Australia due to a dislocated shoulder.
Woakes retires with 192 wickets from 62 Test caps and a highly unusual statistical record that defined his career.
His final act for England was a heroic one, walking out to bat with his left arm in a sling during the final Test against India, a gesture that reflected his status as a selfless team player.
The legacy of a double World Cup winner
The all-rounder was a central figure in England's greatest-ever white-ball sides.
Woakes was a key member of the 2019 ODI World Cup-winning squad, where he was lauded for his brilliant new-ball bowling, and he was one of the six players who went on to secure the T20 World Cup in 2022.
In the Test arena, the Warwickshire man delivered several defining moments.
He collected 192 wickets and 2,034 runs in 62 matches, scoring his only Test century (137 not out) against India at Lord's in 2018.
That innings helped him secure a place on all three Lord's Honours Boards, a century, a five-wicket haul, and a ten-wicket match haul, a feat achieved by only ten players in history.
He also cemented his Test legacy by being named Player of the Series in the 2023 Ashes, where he took 19 wickets and inspired England to a 2-2 draw.
(getty)
The startling contrast in Woakes's Test record
The startling contrast between Chris Woakes's home and away statistics is the most fascinating aspect of his Test career.
On English soil, the right-arm fast-medium bowler was a force of nature, collecting 148 wickets at an incredible average of 23.47, a figure lower than both Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
His home strike-rate of 47 is also bettered only by Fred Trueman and Bob Willis among past greats.
However, when playing away from home, Woakes's average ballooned to over 54, a stark difference that made him a perennial selection debate for overseas tours.
Despite this, he retires as a universally liked and respected figure, often dubbed "the nicest man in cricket," and will be missed for his quiet consistency and big-moment performances.
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