England's bowling attack suffered a significant blow on the first day of the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval, London, with Chris Woakes sustaining a shoulder injury. The incident occurred late in the day when the experienced seamer dived to stop a boundary, immediately clutching his shoulder in pain. Medical staff escorted him off the field with his arm in a makeshift sling, raising concerns about a possible dislocation.

Woakes' injury is a major setback for England, who already entered the match without their captain Ben Stokes due to a shoulder problem. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse were also rested for the game. Losing Woakes, who has featured in all five Tests of the series, further depletes their bowling resources. A scan was scheduled to assess the extent of the damage.

Gus Atkinson, who took two wickets and executed a run-out, voiced concerns about Woakes's condition. He admitted he would be surprised if Woakes could participate further in the match. Should Woakes be sidelined for the remainder of the Test, Atkinson would become the most experienced bowler in the team, despite it only being his thirteenth Test appearance.

The day's play was also interrupted by rain, limiting the number of overs bowled. Stand-in captain Ollie Pope won the toss and elected to bowl first on a green surface. England's bowlers initially put India under pressure, but India recovered to reach 204 for 6 at stumps. Karun Nair remained unbeaten on 52, with Washington Sundar on 19.

The absence of Ben Stokes, coupled with Woakes' injury, has significantly weakened England's bowling attack. Geoffrey Boycott had earlier expressed concerns about the threat level of England's new-look bowling attack, especially with Archer rested. The onus will now be on the likes of Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Jamie Overton to step up and deliver.

India made four changes to their side, with Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair, and Dhruv Jurel replacing Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Anshul Kamboj. Bumrah was rested as part of his workload management.

The inconsistent performance of England's bowlers was evident, with Josh Tongue's opening spell including 12 runs in wides. However, he also produced two exceptional deliveries to dismiss Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja. Gus Atkinson stood out, claiming two wickets and effecting a crucial run-out.

At the end of the day, India were 204 for 6, with Karun Nair and Washington Sundar at the crease. Their partnership helped India recover from a precarious position. With Woakes likely absence, England will need to regroup and find a way to restrict India's progress on day two.