Former England pacer Chris Woakes has criticised the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and managing director Rob Key for the way they handled his omission from England’s 2025/26 Ashes squad, a decision that ultimately marked the end of his international career.
Woakes represented England in 217 international matches, including 62 Tests. His final Test appearance came against India at The Oval in August 2025, where he showed remarkable determination by coming out to bat in the fifth Test despite dislocating his shoulder while fielding earlier in the match.
However, the effort did not earn him a place in England’s squad for the Ashes tour of Australia. Woakes subsequently announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect.
Following the announcement, Key paid tribute to the all-rounder, praising his contribution to English cricket.
“Chris Woakes is one of the finest people to have played the game,” managing director Key said following Woakes’ retirement. “An extraordinary career carved out alongside two of England’s greatest-ever bowlers [James Anderson and Stuart Broad]. A man who helped every team he played in, even before he walked on to the field.”
More than a year after his retirement, Woakes has now revealed that he has “barely spoken” to Key, expressing disappointment with how the situation was handled.
“That final bit felt a bit cold,” Woakes told The Guardian.
“A bit shabby, really.”
Speaking about his relationship with Key, Woakes said he generally had a good rapport with the ECB managing director but felt the conversation about his future could have happened privately before the decision became public.
“I’ve always got on well with Rob and maybe those words slipped out, not necessarily how he meant them. But he could have easily had that conversation first with me, rather than the press. He’s a busy man and moved on to different things. I’m sure at some point we’ll discuss it. But in any walk of professional sport there isn’t much loyalty because the game moves on. Rob probably had bigger fish to fry at that time. There was an Ashes series, and that was his priority, which I understand,” he concluded.
