England to reveal Ashes team 'when ready', says skipper Joe Root

Joe Root can be a game-changer on his day. (Image Credit: Twitter/@ICC)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Dec 6, 2021 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

England captain Joe Root denied playing “mind games” with Australia while keeping his playing XI for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane under wraps. The five-match series will begin on December 8 with the first Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Australian captain Pat Cummins took the bold step of confirming his match lineup on Sunday, three days before the series opener, but Root avoided questions about the composition of England’s batting and bowling lineups.

‘NOT INTO MIND GAMES’

“I’m not into mind games. I’m just not in a position right now to name our team,” Root said. “The fact they’ve named their 11 doesn’t really concern me or change anything from our perspective. We’ll conduct our business how we want to and let you know when we’re ready,” the England skipper added.

Due to concerns about quarantine requirements in Western Australia, the fifth and final Test in the upcoming Ashes series has been moved from Perth to another location. Cricket Australia announced on Monday that bio-security requirements, which would have required players to be quarantined upon arrival in Western Australia, were too difficult to meet.

“We are very disappointed that we are unable to stage the Ashes Test at Perth Stadium. We did everything we could … to make it work under the current border and health arrangements, but unfortunately this was not possible,” CA chief executive Nick Hockley said in a statement.

An alternative location has not yet been identified, but Hobart, Tasmania, may be the front-runner. The states of Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales, as well as the Australian Capital Territory, have expressed interest in hosting the match.

STOKES TO MAKE LONG AWAITED RETURN

Ben Stokes will return to cricket after a four-and-a-half-month break in the first Test of the 2021-22 Ashes, giving England a major boost in their bid to win in Australia for the first time in 11 years. Stokes hasn’t played competitive cricket since July 26, when he played for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred due to an injury. He did not play in England’s series against India, withdrawing from the squad days before the first Test due to a need to focus on his mental health, and was not considered for selection for the T20 World Cup.

But, after undergoing additional surgery on his left index finger, which he broke during the IPL in April and did not fully recover from, he has returned to low-level training in recent weeks, which will ramp up ahead of England’s departure to Australia on November 4.

“I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted,” Stokes said. “I am looking forward to seeing my mates and being on the field with them. I’m ready for Australia.”





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