England all-rounder Chris Woakes said the players are now “relaxed” after the concerns over strict COVID-19 protocols for the Australia tour were sorted out and are “desperate” to travel down under for the upcoming Ashes 2021-22, starting on December 8 in Brisbane.
Last week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the Australia tour subject to critical conditions being met before they travel for the Ashes series, as well as, announced a 17-member squad for the much-anticipated five-match Test series. Woakes is also named in the Ashes squad.
Woakes told the BBC: “There's no player that does not want to be part of the Ashes. Behind the scenes, there are still things being ironed out between all sorts of levels.”
He added, “I think the players are relatively relaxed and guys are desperate to go. But we want to be under the best sort of conditions possible so we can still live our lives outside of cricket.”
Earlier, England captain Joe Root and vice-captain Jos Buttler had expressed doubts about the Ashes tour due to “bubble fatigue” and strict quarantine rules in Australia; though both now have been named in the squad, and Woakes also said it is hard to have a say on it.
He signed off by saying, “Until you have been in that situation and done it over and over again, the novelty wears off. Some people get it, some people don't, and that is fine -- everyone is entitled to their view. But until you have been in it and experienced it over again, it is hard to have a say on it.”
(With Reuters Inputs)
