Cricketers Who Played With An Injury: Cricket is considered to be a gentleman’s game, where various times, players have shown bravery on the field, showing more than just love for the game. It’s for the sheer determination for the sport, country, and dignity of the team. In cricket, there have been many instances that have been admired around the globe.
Cricketers Who Played With An Injury: Brave Folklores of Cricket
1. Chris Woakes vs India: In the 5th and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at the Oval. Chris Woakes was injured while fielding on the boundary, trying to save a couple of runs, but unfortunately got his left shoulder dislocated while diving. He was not available from then and did not bat or field in the 1st innings and 2nd innings of bowling for England.
On the last day of the series decider, he came out to bat with one hand under his sweater tucked with a shoulder pad. He came in to support Gus Atkinson from the other end, and they were just 6 runs behind, but Mohammad Siraj bowled a fierce yorker to Atkinson, which resulted in India winning the match by 6 runs.
2. Rick McCosker vs England: In the 1977 Ashes series between England and Australia in Melbourne, Rick McCosker shocked the cricketing world while coming to bat after a broken jaw. During batting, he got tested by Bob Willis with a bouncer and got his jaw broken when he came to open in the first innings.
In the second innings, he came in to bat at no. 10, all wrapped up with a bandage on his face. He made 25 runs in 68 balls and built a partnership of 54 runs with Rodney Marsh for the ninth wicket.
Australia would go on to win the match by 45 runs, curiously, the exact margin of the very first Test a century earlier. McCosker’s courage was lauded across the cricketing world.
3. Malcolm Marshall vs England: In a thrilling contest between the West Indies and England at Leeds in 1984, the fearless and fierce bowler of WI got his left thumb injured badly and came out to bat at no. 11. With his hand in a cast. He was holding the bat with his right hand, protecting his left, and was just able to stay on pitch till eight balls.
These eight balls were enough to have a 13-run partnership with Larry Gomes, who completed his century, and Marshall contributed with one boundary as well.
After that, Marshall came out to bowl with his injury in the second innings and picked 7 wickets while conceding 53 runs. This performance included the caught and bowled dismissal of Graeme Fowler. It remains one of the bravest all-round performances ever seen in Test cricket.
4. VVS Laxman vs Australia: An extraordinary visual came out in the India vs Australia Test series being held at Mohali in 2020. VVS Laxman was struggling with back spasms, where he was unable to move in a certain manner and maintain his batting stance. India was chasing 216 runs on a testing pitch, where India was 124 for 8 with Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha left at the last to stand with.
Laxman stood strong, rotating strikes and finding boundaries. It was a classic Laxman special- elegance, temperament, and heroism wrapped into one.
5. Graeme Smith vs Australia: In the Ashes 2009, Graeme Smith played one of the greatest knocks in Test cricket. South Africa was on the verge of facing defeat when the skipper Smith decided to bat after 9 wickets had down.
He was ruled out of the game due to a right elbow injury and a broken left hand. But he came out to bat in such situations, facing fierce deliveries by might Aussie bowlers, and got bowled out after playing 17 balls by Mitchell Johnson.
6. Anil Kumble vs West Indies: The famous folklore of cricket, when Anil Kumble was hit on his jaw by a furious bouncer by Mervyn Dillon. After diagnosis, the results showed that he had a broken jaw, but the great leg spinner came in to bowl for his nation with a bandage wrapped around his head.
Kumble later came out to bowl, sending down 14 consecutive overs with his jaw wired shut. It was a more than useful spell that saw him claim the prized wicket of Brian Lara as he returned figures of 17-6-32-1.
It was an act of extraordinary courage that earned global admiration, and which led to Viv Richards saying, “It was one of the bravest things I’ve seen on the field of play.”
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