However, Woakes appeared from the dressing room, his injured arm covered by his England sweater. As Atkinson shielded him from the strike, Woakes spent 16 minutes in the middle before Atkinson was bowled by Mohammed Siraj to end the Test and give India a 2-2 series draw.
Although Woakes did not face a delivery, it is understood he was preparing to take a left-handed stance. This would have put his healthy right arm at the top of the handle in control of the bat, and distanced his injured left shoulder as far from the ball as possible.
“It’s what you want from our players,” said McCullum. “This game is hard and takes us to some tough places, challenging us mentally and physically. Sometimes we end up with injuries. To still want to go out and do your best for your country is what these guys are desperate to show.
“I thought Woakesy was really brave to do that. You could see running between the wickets how much pain he was in. I thought we might have a fairytale, where we needed two to win and he was on strike and found a way. But it wasn’t to be.”
Woakes’ injury makes him a huge doubt for the Ashes tour of Australia, which begins in November, and he will not play in The Hundred, which starts on Tuesday.
England captain Ben Stokes had already been ruled out of the fifth Test with a shoulder injury of his own and faces a period of rehabilitation.
McCullum said the talismanic skipper will be “fine” for the Ashes. Stokes withdrew from playing in The Hundred earlier this year and will instead spend time with his Northern Superchargers team in a coaching and mentoring capacity.
Woakes’ injury came at the end of a series that included a number of players struck down.
England spinner Shoaib Bashir bowled with a broken finger in the third Test at Lord’s and India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant batted with a broken foot in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
It has ignited the debate over whether injury replacements should be introduced, but Stokes was firm in his opposition to the idea.
“I don’t see it being a thing,” said Stokes. “I could have gone into this game knowing I had a sore shoulder and saying I’ll give it a go, hopefully I come through but if not I know I have someone who can come in and replace me.
“I feel like there is room where you could manipulate it a little bit. I am still heavily against it.”
