England all-rounder Chris Woakes has candidly addressed his team's struggles during the recent Test series in India, acknowledging that the visitors were comprehensively "outplayed" by the hosts.
The 35-year-old seamer, who played in three of the five Tests, admitted England failed to adapt sufficiently to the demanding subcontinental conditions as India secured a 4-1 series victory.
Tour Challenges Laid Bare
"We knew it would be tough coming to India," Woakes told reporters. "But we were outplayed - their spinners were exceptional and we didn't bat well enough collectively. When you're behind in those conditions, it's incredibly hard to fight back."
The Warwickshire star highlighted how India's mastery of home conditions proved decisive: "Their understanding of when to attack and when to defend was superior. We had moments but couldn't sustain the pressure."
Bazball Approach Questioned
England's aggressive 'Bazball' strategy faced scrutiny throughout the series, particularly after several batting collapses. Woakes defended the approach but conceded adjustments were needed:
- "The philosophy has brought us success but we must be smarter in execution"
- "Sometimes we needed more game awareness in tough periods"
- "Credit to India - they forced us into mistakes"
Looking Ahead to Home Summer
With England's next Test assignment coming against West Indies at Lord's in July, Woakes emphasised the importance of learning from the India experience:
"These tours make you better players if you learn the right lessons. We've got to take what we can from this and improve. The home summer is a chance to reset."
The experienced campaigner remains optimistic about England's future: "This team has shown resilience before. We'll regroup and come back stronger."
