Former England captain and commentator Michael Vaughan said the upcoming Ashes 2021-2022 would be a farcical series without England's best players if the Australian authorities don’t relax stringent pandemic entry regulations for the tourists’ families.
Some reports have suggested that Australian authorities might not allow England players' families to enter the country for the Ashes 2021-22 and Vaughan urged Australia to relax stringent travel regulations to allow players' families for such a long tour or else delay the Ashes series by a year.
Several senior England players are unlikely to travel to Australia for the Ashes 2021-22 without their families, as they will have to fly directly from the UAE – where the T20 World Cup 2021 will be held – to Australia in November and they would certainly love to be with their families over the Christmas period.
Vaughan wrote in The Daily Telegraph, “If this situation is not sorted out quickly and the England players allowed to be joined in Australia by their families then the Ashes have to be delayed by a year. If not, it would be a farcical series against an under-strength England team. The Ashes must be the best against the best.”
And Vaughan says that with the possibility of England being without star players like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, the Ashes 2021-22 will be a farce.
Though, Cricket Australia is in talks with the state and federal governments about providing exemptions for the vaccinated families and partners of English cricketers for the grand Test series.
He concluded, “I have absolute sympathy with any player thinking of not going and I would back them all the way if they pulled out because they cannot be with their families at Christmas and New Year. We need the Ashes. But we need the series to be fair and competitive.”
(With Reuters Inputs)
