It might not just be a coincidence that English pacers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes made a return back to Test cricket during the third Ashes 2023 Test match at Headingley earlier this month. While both made crucial contributions in a match-winning Day 5 partnership, they also combined together to collectively scalp 13 Australian wickets across both innings to help the team open their account in a five-match series.
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Wood and Woakes are not mere acquaintances or teammates sharing the dressing room for England. In fact, it is only fair that their friendship and the resultant enviable bond which they share with each other is amplified as much as possible especially among the male population.
Not only are they not afraid to express their vulnerable side before each other, they are there to provide the comfort of home on tours, and even go all the way to share their favourite box of chocolates from time to time to never let the sweetness in their relationship reduce by the smallest of measures.
From Holding Hands While Flying To Sharing Chocolates On Tours
As if meant to be, the alphabetical order flight seating arrangement of the England team during overseas travel means that Wood and Woakes end up having their seats next to each other.
Like most people usually are, Wood goes through some anxious moments during flight landings and take-offs as well. As a testament to their selfless love, an empathetic Woakes then makes sure to hold his bowling partner’s hand to help him calm down and breathe normally. As per a recent article by ESPNcricinfo, the 33-year-old fast bowler also makes sure to get Woakes his favorite chocolate digestives on tours, while the latter never forgets to get him the pack of Ferrero Rocher in return.
As a further evidence of their beautiful bond of friendship, the duo not only drove to Leeds together each day of the Test, but Wood would also claim to have found the lucky car-parking space which is certain to be a constant each time they play at the venue in the future.
“We’ve car-shared all week, we’ve got a lucky car [parking] space, we’ve promised that we’d get runs and wickets. I think we will park in the same place every time we turn up here.”
How Mark Wood And Chris Woakes Are Redefining Male Friendship
Expressing feelings and emotions, being able to cry out loud when life seems a tad unbearable, or just sharing extended moments of sadness with one another generally do not find a mention in the definition of male friendship.
Voicing one’s vulnerability is supposedly a feminine trait which is not considered ‘masculine’ enough in a patriarchal society set-up. Thus, an undeclared need to display a so-called mental strength when it comes to dealing with real-life feelings has made men emotionally alone and unavailable.
This is perhaps one of the reasons why money, reputation, status, power, a big house or ownership of multiple cars is a dream for a huge section of male population, as it tries to find solace and peace in the outside world as a result of being emotionally detached from intangible emotions of a homely environment. As a result, there is this constant urge to prove one’s worth before the outside world.
Even during funerals (especially in Indian households), men do not have the capacity of even ‘wasting’ more than a few minutes of their time in sharing the grief with the deceased person’s family member(s). Rather, one would spot them taking care of the funeral arrangements, or chatting with other men on other related matters.
In such a contemporary world, male friendships become much more important especially for men with respect to their sanity and emotional health. The Mark Wood – Chris Woakes’ definition of friendship, thus, acts as a breath of fresh air in a world of patriarchy where men are driven with materialistic ambitions.
