By Richard Edwards
Allan Donald is backing Chris Woakes to use his stint in the Indian Premier League as a springboard to becoming one of the world’s top all-rounders.
The pair worked together at Edgbaston until Donald left Warwickshire in the summer of 2009 and the former South African great tells The Cricket Paper that Woakes was always viewed as a player with an enormous future for both county and country.
Woakes, 28, has been busy living up to that billing in recent years, becoming one of England’s most dependable performers, particularly on home soil.
Donald will be working at the Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka but the Lions are outsiders for the tournament, priced at 25/1 with most bookmakers. Hosts England, meanwhile, are favourites so have your say with some cricket betting
Veteran Donald believes Woakes’ development will only be hastened by his time in the IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
“He has just flown up,” says Donald. “We always said back in 2008 that ‘Woakesie’ was going to be a star and he has just gone from strength to strength and played some amazing cricket.
“He’s a permanent fixture in the England side in pretty much all formats. It’s good to see him do well for KKR too, he has really established himself. There’s definitely more success around the corner on this journey of his.”
Donald has worked extensively in the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bangalore and has seen at first hand the impact that playing in the world’s richest league can have on a player.
Woakes’ capture by the Kolkata Knight Riders for £500,000 was very much over-shadowed by the sums shelled out on Ben Stokes (£1.7m) and Tymal Mills (£1.4m) but flying under the radar is very much the way the Warwickshire all-rounder operates.
Although he has struggled with the bat in this year’s tournament, he has been a steady presence with the ball during KKR’s assault on IPL glory.
And Donald, pictured right, believes that the experience of playing in one of cricket’s most pressurised environments can only help Woakes and England in the future.
“If you don’t learn anything from the skill factor and the adaptability that’s needed in the IPL then you never will,” says Donald.
“You learn so quickly about that adaptability because you’re constantly playing in pressure situations and playing on different surfaces so regularly.
“The pressure of crowds is huge as well but you have to learn to make good quality decisions. You learn so much quicker in the IPL, probably quicker than in any other environment.
“That’s how the IPL has sharpened up so many cricketers and made so many players what they are today.
“It’s a hell of an experience and I’ve seen so many cricketers improve so much over a short period of time because of that. You also find out a lot about yourself, too. You come home, you write a few things down about how you have improved and that stays with you forever.
“I think ‘Woakesie’ will come home and know that he’s a better cricketer for all those reasons.”
Woakes will miss England’s first two one-day assignments of the summer against Ireland but will return to the squad for the series against South Africa before taking his place in a heavily fancied England side in the Champions Trophy.
He has proved himself to be highly effective on English pitches in recent seasons across all formats. He took nine wickets against Pakistan in the ODIs at the tail-end of last summer as Eoin Morgan’s men celebrated a 4-1 series win.
Woakes was also impressive in England’s victory romp against the West Indies in the Caribbean in March, picking up seven wickets at a cost of just 12. If he can carry that form into the Champions Trophy then Donald believes England’s long-wait for a 50-over title could soon be at an end.
“England have to be one of the sides to look out for, particularly on home soil,” he says.
“There’s so many good young guys in that squad, I think England’s one-day side is probably the strongest it has been for a long time.
“Australia will bring a powerful side and South Africa will be up there, too. There has obviously been a lot of confusion about the situation in India but if they do come then they will challenge as well.”
This piece originally featured in The Cricket Paper, May 5 2017
Subscribe to the digital edition of The Cricket Paper here
