England captain Joe Root said that he and the team cannot arrive at a decision about travelling to Australia for the Ashes this summer until the “lay of the land” is sorted. These comments from Root come as players might not be able to travel with their families going by Australia’s rule allowing 3000 people into Australia each month. The Ashes are scheduled to start on December 8. 

In the same week when his deputy Ben Stokes took an indefinite break from cricket, Joe Root has conceded that he cannot commit to the Ashes amid concerns that players will not be able to travel with their families. 

Also read: Ben Stokes should take as much time as he needs away from cricket: Joe roots

“As long as I’ve played we’ve always spent long periods away from home and that is a challenge in itself. But certainly it has been heightened by the environment we find ourselves in, and it’s just important we keep talking about it,” Root said.

“We‘ve said from the outset that we don’t think this is a sustainable way of living and playing and we’ve tried to manage it as best we can. If you find it getting too much you have to talk to people and give yourself the best chance of staying in a good place,” he added. 

England all-rounder Ben Stokes took a break saying he needs time to take care of his mental well-being. Stokes added that he wants to spend time with his family. 

Also read: Kohli’s form to Stokes’ break: Talking points for India’s tour of England

Presenting the players’ perspective, Root continued, “From a players’ point of view, until we know what the lay of the land is, it’s very hard to make any sort of decision. Until then we have to continue conversations with the ECB so they can work with Australia to try to come up with what it’s going to look like when we get there.”

The concerns are more serious for some players who will also participate in the IPL and/or in the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October and November. Such cricketers will be in a bio-bubble for as long as four months. 

Also read: Learnt from my mistakes: Rishabh Pant ahead of first India-England Test

Last week former England captain Michael Vaughan said that the Ashes should be delayed. 

“You cannot go to Australia, the hardest place to play, with only half your first-choice team. Broadcasters did not pay a lot of money to show a series like that. It would lack credibility,” Vaughan wrote in the Telegraph.

Joe Root’s England faces Virat Kohli and company in a five-match Test series starting on Wednesday. 

“What I will say is that having the opportunity to lift that urn is one of the things you dream about from being four or five years old. That does not change. Of course, there are challenges, but everyone is desperate to be part of an Ashes series in Australia,” Root said.

“It’s just at what cost.

“We are still very passionate about Ashes cricket, we know our responsibilities as players, wanting to look after the integrity of Test cricket and the implications of this tour, so of course any decision that is made will not be made lightly.”