Warwickshire first-team coach Jim Troughton has hailed Chris Woakes as a "top cricketer and a top professional" after the Bears ace's match-winning batting performance in the first Test against Pakistan.
Nineteen days after taking his 100th Test wicket in the final Test against West Indies at Emirates Old Trafford, Woakes struck a high-class unbeaten 84 to steer England to a sensational win in the first Test against Pakistan at the same venue.
In light of those performances, it would be a major surprise if the Bears academy product is not in the team for the second Test tomorrow – though over the years he has learned to take nothing for granted.
Despite his all-round excellence, Woakes has often been the unlucky man left out during his Test career. That is unlikely to be the case on Thursday.
“It’s great to see Chris get a run in the Test team and he fully deserves it. We have all seen the quality he has with bat and ball and he batted beautifully to see England to victory in the last Test.
Jim Troughton
“He has proved that he can take five-fors and score centuries in Test cricket. We knew very early on at Warwickshire that he had the makings of a top player and that’s exactly what he had turned out to be.
“Woakesy has been unlucky to be left out a few times over the years and maybe that’s because, in a way, he is easy to drop because you know he has got a brilliant attitude. You know he won’t be sulking or kicking off on Twitter – he’ll just carry on working and try to force himself back in the team.
“As well as a top cricketer, he’s just a top professional and everyone at the Bears couldn’t be more proud of him.”
