After a 15-year-long career and delivering two World Cups for England, all-rounder Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket through an Instagram post. The 15-year-long journey has witnessed Woakes’s finest performances and him becoming one of the most reliable and respected figures in the game. The decision was confirmed by the 36-year-old on Monday, 29th September 2025, just after suffering a dislocated shoulder during the final test of the India series at the Oval.

Pleasure has been all mine. No regrets 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/kzUKsnNehy

— Chris Woakes (@chriswoakes) September 29, 2025

A True All-Rounder and Mr. Reliable

With the announcement of Woakes's retirement, English cricket also marks an end of a chapter of a distinguished sportsman known for his versatility, consistency, and ability to portray a strong performance in both white and red ball formats. During his time, Woakes was a part of two World Cup-winning teams, one of which got England's historic 2019 ODI World Cup victory. He played an important role in the triumph of the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. With his razor-sharp seam bowling and valuable contribution in the lower-order batting lineup, Chris Woakes was rightly titled as ‘Mr. Reliable.’

Achievements and White-Ball Prowess

Woakes bagged 192 wickets across 62 Test matches. He boasts seven half centuries along with a memorable century at Lord’s in 2018. In his Test career, Woakes was often seen as a threat in home conditions, where his ability to swing and seam the ball was lethal for the batters. His enduring value was underlined even in the latter stage of his career when he was named as the Player of the Series in the 2023 Ashes.

Collecting more than 200 wickets, Woakes made around 155 appearances for England across ODIs and T20Is. With his pinpoint accuracy and potential to be calm under pressure, he was the most reliable bowler of England when it was about the death overs, while his clean-striking bat often provided support, which was usually sought in the later order of the lineup.

The End of an Era

Woakes’s omission was not entirely anticipated. England’s Director of Cricket, Rob Key, revealed that Woakes would not be part of England’s long-term plans as they prepare for the next Ashes cycle. The decision was further supported because of his shoulder injury endured during the India series, signalling the end of his stint in international cricket.

Looking back at his career, Woakes expressed gratitude towards the opportunities he had: “It’s been the privilege of my life to represent England. To have shared the dressing room with so many incredible players and to have contributed to some of our proudest moments is something I will always cherish.

Road Ahead

Though Chris Woakes has taken a back seat in his international cricket career, he has no plans to step away from the game completely. He is expected to be seen playing for Warwickshire, the county he’s been associated with since his teens. And would continue to remain a sought-after name in domestic T20 across the globe.