As the dust begins to settle on a long goodbye for the country’s record wicket-taker, Woakes is eyeing his milestone 50th cap in next week’s second Test against the West Indies.

Since his debut in 2013, Woakes has often played second fiddle to the wicket-taking juggernaut that was the Anderson-Stuart-Broad double act, but now he has been trusted to oversee the transition to a new era.

Part of the reason for Anderson’s enforced departure was Ben Stokes’s motivation to rebuild a bowling group that could go Down Under and win but, as Woakes begins work as England’s most experienced bowler, he is not putting limits on how long — or how far — the job will take him.

“It would be hard for me to just stand here and say I’ll be the opening bowler in the Ashes because obviously my away record isn’t as good as at home,” he said.

“But at the same time, I’ve looked at Stuart and Jimmy evolve as they’ve got older, and I still hope that I can potentially do the same.

“Throughout my England career I’ve always looked at the very next event, the very next game, the very next series and trying to be in the best shape possible for that.

“Every time I go out there, I’ll try and give 100 per cent and try and do my role as well as I can for the team.”