ASHES SERIES

England ready for Ashes without Stokes: Root

by Rob Johnston • Last updated on

"Being able to enjoy touring Australia, it is really important go and enjoy the downtime we do get" - Root © Getty

England set off for Australia on Saturday (October 28) as the holders of the Ashes, following their 3-2 victory when the two sides last met in 2015. Whether they return in early January next year with the urn still in Joe Root's grasp remains to be seen given they embark on the tour without, for now, their vice-captain Ben Stokes and with great uncertainty surrounding their batting. It is an almighty challenge.

But it is not, according to Root, one which his team, who won both Test series this summer, are afraid. "We've played some really strong cricket this summer, coming together really well as a squad and hopefully we can carry that forward," he said. "There are some new faces but that gives them opportunities to stamp their mark on the game and really push their case in Test cricket, and also for other guys to stand up and become more senior. Hopefully we can put in some really good performances and do something special."

Of course, Root would say that and the gap between the two teams is perhaps exaggerated. Although England lost the last tour down under 5-0, this Australian team has their Test match demons, too. But there is a Ben Stokes sized shadow hanging over England's squad, of that there is no doubt. Stokes has not yet been charged for an incident last month in Bristol in which he is alledged to have assaulted two men outside a nightclub but his absence for the start of the tour and the uncertainy as to whether he will appear in Australia at all will follow England round like a bad smell.

"I think we've got to plan as if he's not going to be there for the whole series," Root said. "It's an ongoing investigation, we're very much in the dark in what's happening, as is everyone. So as a side we have to make sure we plan accordingly and approach this as our squad."

If Stokes doesn't make the tour, the impact on the team cannot be underestimated. He would make England's final eleven as either a batsman or a bowler alone and is one of the few proven Test match batsmen available. Without him there are, perhaps, just four others, two of whom - Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow - are all-rounders. To make matters worse, Australia's likely pace attack of Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc is the home side's strongest suit so England could do with all the batting they can get.

Without Stokes, England's task in Australia is clearly far more difficult. Root and just about everybody else knows that but the captain was, naturally, keen to put a positive spin on things. "Ben offers a lot to the team but, as I said, it's an opportunity for other guys to stand up," Root said. "In difficult situations, people do surprise themselves and you and are capable of more than they might even think themselves.

"This is one of those occasions when you might just see that and there's also some guys that have been given another opportunity who will be desperate to take that. As a side I look at where we are and how we've grown as a team and think that this is a great opportunity for us to keep developing and move forward again."

When asked whether he was disappointed that Stokes had put him in this position ahead of his first tour as England captain, Root wouldn't be drawn. "That's between me and Ben, being brutally honest," he said. "That should stay between us. It is disappointing that he's not going to be on the trip but you have to move forward as a team. He's obviously very disappointed but I can't speak for him."

The Stokes situation has given England's management a dilemma as to what license to give the players to explore Australia during the tour. Coach Trevor Bayliss is well known for giving his teams the freedom and responsibility to choose their own course in that regard and at the end of the English season, he said he did not favour cooping the players up in hotels during long tours away from home. England's Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss said similar during the ODI series with Windies.

"At no point did we say they would be [kept locked away]," Root said. "That would be a negative way to go about touring what is a great country. Being able to enjoy touring Australia, it is really important go and enjoy the downtime we do get and enjoy the whole nature of touring - the atmosphere of the grounds, the people around the grounds and when you go out for food, the banter that might be flying around and embrace it, because you don't get many opportunities to go and play in an Ashes series in Australia. It's something you want to look back on and say you approached it in the right way and gave yourself the best chance to be successful and hopefully come away with some fantastic memories."

Although Root's position as captain will be secure after this tour regardless of the result, the same cannot be said about James Whitaker's selection panel. They have made some bold choices by recalling Gary Ballance and James Vince, both of whom have been unconvincing at Test level of late, and by selecting Mason Crane as an untried second spinner. After 18 months of muddled selection which has failed to solve England's batting issues, the selectors will have little room to hide should they fail to retain the Ashes down under.

That is all for a later date. For now, Root and Bayliss must make the best of the lot they have been given starting with England's first warm-up game against a Western Australian XI on November 4. Without Stokes and a settled batting line-up, it's obviously not one they may have chosen. But they are heading to Australia, a team which has its own vulnerabilities, saying all the right things and exuding plenty of confidence. It's a start at least.

© Cricbuzz

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