Sports · Cricket · 2 hrs ago
Chris Woakes says Rob Key handled his England exit poorly
Former England fast bowler Chris Woakes says Rob Key handled his exit poorly by announcing publicly that he was no longer in England’s plans.
Woakes played 217 international matches, including 62 Tests, and last played for England in the fifth Test against India at The Oval in August 2025.
He dislocated his shoulder but still batted in that match, then missed England’s Ashes squad and retired from international cricket.
Woakes says he accepted being left out and losing his England contract, but wanted Key to speak to him privately first.
In his autobiography, he called Key’s words “cold” and “shabby”, while saying they may not have been intended that way.
The two have barely spoken since, though Woakes says they may discuss it in the future.
England later lost the Ashes series in Australia 4-1.
Chris Woakes said Rob Key handled his departure from England’s plans poorly, describing Key’s public remarks as “cold” and “shabby”.
Woakes said Key could have spoken to him privately before announcing that he was no longer in England’s plans.
Woakes made his final red-ball appearance in the fifth Test against India at The Oval in August 2025, despite dislocating his shoulder while fielding.
He was not selected for England’s Ashes squad and then announced his immediate retirement from international cricket.
Woakes’s comments appear in his autobiography, The Wizard.
- Who
- Chris Woakes, former England fast bowler, and Rob Key, England’s managing director.
- What
- Woakes said Key handled his exit poorly by announcing publicly that he was no longer in England’s plans.
- When
- Woakes made his final red-ball appearance in August 2025; the articles were published on October 17 and 18, 2026.
- Where
- The Oval in London, where Woakes made his final red-ball appearance.
- Why
- Woakes said Key could have spoken to him privately before making the announcement public.
Chris Woakes
Rob Key
Handling of Woakes’s exit
Chris Woakes
Woakes said Key’s public announcement felt “cold” and “shabby” and that Key could have spoken to him first.
Rob Key
Key said Woakes was not in England’s plans, “at all”; the articles do not report a response from Key about how he made the announcement.
Woakes made his final red-ball appearance in the fifth Test against India at The Oval, batting despite dislocating his shoulder while fielding.
Woakes was left out of England’s Ashes squad and announced his immediate retirement from international cricket.
News18 published Woakes’s comments about the handling of his exit.
Times of India published an article about Woakes’s comments in his autobiography, The Wizard.
- International appearances
- 217 matches for England across formats
- Test appearances
- 62
- Final red-ball appearance
- Fifth Test against India at The Oval, August 2025
- Autobiography
- The Wizard
- Ashes result
- England lost 4-1 to Australia
3 sources
What people are saying
That final bit felt a bit cold. A bit shabby, really.
But he could have easily had that conversation first with me, rather than the press
We have barely spoken since.
Chris Woakes isn’t in our plans