Andrew Strauss, former England captain and Director of Cricket for England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), on Tuesday (August 10) said he does not want upcoming The Ashes tour of Australia to be postponed because of the England players’ families traveling issue.
The 44-year-old said ECB and Cricket Australia (CA) should find a solution with the Australian government and allow families to accompany players on the long tour of Australia later this year for the Ashes 2021-22, as it is unrealistic to expect the players to play for months without seeing their family.
Strauss said during an event to promote the forthcoming #RedForRuth Day at Lord's ahead of the second Test between England and India: “No, I wouldn't want a postponement; I would want to make sure that the players' families can get there. The last thing anyone wants is players having to make that choice between 'my family can't come and therefore I'm not going to go' or 'I'm going to go'.”
He added, “The solution to this is to find some sort of middle ground between the Australian Government, Cricket Australia, and the ECB, to make it as easy as possible for families to get out there and to have as few restrictions as possible when they are over there.”
The batting legend further opined that the compromise should be reached as the players are already living a lot of time away from home in the bio-bubbles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strauss further explained, “Of course we all understand, having been through the pandemic here for the last 18 months, that this stuff (quarantine protocols) isn't easy. [It requires] setting precedent and all that sort of stuff, but I do think it is unrealistic to expect players to go over there for months on end without their family seeing them, especially with what's gone on over the last 18 months and all the time they've had (to) spend away from their families in bubbles.”
He signed off by saying, “I think that's going to be asking them to go one step too far, and some sort of compromise needs to be reached. That's what everyone should be working towards at the moment, rather than worrying about something that may or may not happen.”
(With ESPNCricinfo/AP Inputs)
