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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
James Whaling

Andrew Strauss urges England stars to get on the plane for Ashes amid Covid uncertainty

Former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss has urged England's players to put their concerns to one side and get on the plane to Australia for the Ashes.

The series is under threat due to proposed quarantine regulations and the possibility of England's players being asked to travel without their families for the entirety of the tour.

Several stars have spoken about their reluctance to go Down Under in such circumstances, with Aussie skipper Tim Paine stirring the pot by insisting the Ashes will go ahead "with or without" England skipper Joe Root.

But Strauss, who was captain when England last won on Australian soil in the 2010-11 series, believes England should make the journey due to how much the Ashes means to people.

Strauss skippered England to glory Down Under in 2010-11 (Getty Images)

He told the Mail on Sunday: "To me, the Ashes need to go ahead. We are learning to live with Covid in this country and Australia is in a slightly different place.

"But the Ashes means a lot to a lot of people, and some of them are people that are going through a tough time themselves.

"It defies belief that all these other sports are taking place and that the Ashes doesn’t take place. There is a way of making it happen and I think we are moving in the right direction. I think there will be accommodations made and that families will get out there.

"Personally, I think if you are selected on an Ashes tour, you should go. An Ashes tour is not the one to pull out of, in my opinion. But I understand that everyone sees things slightly differently.

"But I think that between Cricket Australia, the Australian government and the ECB, they will find a way that works for both the players and their families."

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