In cricket, the scorecard can sometimes include terms that appear only on rare occasions. One such term is "absent hurt," a rare distinction when a player can't participate in a match due to injury or illness.
The phrase popped up again during the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval after Chris Woakes was ruled out midway through the Test match due to a shoulder injury he sustained while fielding. Woakes had taken an early wicket on Day 1 but was later injured trying to stop a boundary.
Follow The Sporting News India on WhatsApp
He didn't return to the field and it was later confirmed that he would play no further part in the match. England were left to continue with just 10 players.
Because he hadn't yet batted, Woakes was listed as "absent hurt" - a situation that impacts both team strategy and the batting order.
What does 'absent hurt' mean?
'Absent hurt' means a player is too injured or unwell to take part before they get a chance to play. It is not the same as retired hurt: where a batter starts their innings but has to stop midway through because of an injury.
If a player doesn't come out to bat because they were hurt earlier (for example, while fielding), they are marked as absent hurt on the scorecard. It doesn't count as being dismissed but the team loses one player from its batting line-up.
MORE: Jasprit Bumrah next match for India: Will he skip Asia Cup 2025 and play IND vs WI Test series?
Effectively, if one player is 'absent hurt', the team's innings will end when it loses nine wickets instead of the usual ten.
In the Oval Test, Chris Woakes bowled in the first innings but injured his shoulder while fielding. He did not return to the field afterward and was marked absent hurt when England came out to bat.
Even if he had batted in the first innings, he would still have been listed as absent hurt in the second innings if he was unable to take part due to injury.
Can ENG win Test series 3-1? Start betting on India vs. England with Parimatch for up to ₹30,000 welcome bonus. Click HERE for latest offer details
What happens next when a batsman is absent hurt?
In such cases, the team must manage with fewer players. In Tests especially, losing one batter or bowler can seriously hurt a side's chances. For England, losing Woakes was a setback in a series-deciding Test match against India.