4 players who can replace injured Chris Woakes in the India vs England series 

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Monday that talismanic England all-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Chris Woakes will miss the remainder of the One Day International series with Australia. Stokes' hamstring injury — which happened ahead of the second Test with Pakistan —is progressing well towards recovery, and the 27-year-old is sure to be fit for the T20 series with India next month. Woakes, on the other hand, injured a thigh muscle during the second Test with Pakistan which the ECB say "was at least in part due to a flare-up of a chronic right knee problem".

"He (Woakes) has had an injection for the knee issue last Monday and will now undertake a rehabilitation and conditioning programme to address both injuries," read the ECB statement.

"A date for return cannot be specified at this stage, but he will not be available before the India ODI series."

Here’s looking at 5 possible replacements for Woakes in the T20I series against India.

#4 Harry Gurney

The pacer has played 12 international matches for England

The 25-year-old left-arm fast-medium bowler made his international debut in 2014 against Scotland in a one-day international. He has played 10 ODIs and 2 T20Is for his national side, in which he has 11 and 3 wickets respectively. Gurney has been one of the star performers for Nottinghamshire in county cricket. In 97 first-class games, he has 289 wickets!

After being successful in 2014, Gurney failed to make it to the world cup squad in 2015 and soon faded away. However, his exploits in the county championship can earn him a national recall, at least among the 15 members of the team, if not in the playing XI.

#3 Matt Parkinson

The youngster has been churning out fine performances in the county championship

During Lancashire’s County Championship draw against Warwickshire two years ago, Parkinson became only the second English leg-spinner to take five wickets on debut since 1946, the other one being Adil Rashid. In total, he took 10 wickets in four Championship matches during his debut season, including the prized scalp of Ben Stokes.

The England management, upon noticing Matt’s performances, invited him to train with them in the build-up to the Test series against Pakistan. In the NatWest T20 Blast 2017, he returned with 14 wickets from nine matches, including a career best of 4-23 at Headingley. The 21-year-old is yet to make his international debut but this can be a good chance if England decide to replace Woakes with an extra spinner in the squad.

#2 Jake Ball

Ball has played 21 matches for England

On the back of some amazing performances in the County Championship, England seamer Jake Ball earned an England recall for the ongoing one-day series with Australia. The 27-year-old, who has taken 27 wickets in the County Championship and 14 in the One-Day Cup this season, is in fine form and can be a good replacement for Woakes in the series against India.

The fast bowler has made four Test and 17 ODI appearances for England since his international debut in July 2016. He can change the situation of the game with his express pace, and that’s what makes him one of the candidates for Woakes’ replacement.

#1 Craig Overton

Craig Overton has nudged the selectors with his performances in the county championship this year

Craig Overton reminded the England selectors about his existence when he put up the bowling performance of the season a few days ago when Nottinghamshire were made to follow on at after being bowled out for 134 in their first innings. Overton took a wicket in each of his first three overs.

The 24-year-old pacer has played three Tests for England, from which he has seven wickets. He was also called into England's limited-overs squads in 2016 but did not make it to the playing XI. He was recently also named in the England Lions squad to face India A and West Indies A.