England Set To Take Full-strength Side For The Ashes Tour

England are all set to take a full-strength squad for the upcoming Ashes tour and all the senior players including Jos Buttler are set to join the squad for the 11-week trip.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) meeting was conducted at Lord’s to make a decision regarding the five-match series and clear all the doubts over the availability of certain players due to the strict Covid-19 protocols in Australia.

Previously, the Test vice-captain Jos Buttler made it clear that he would not take part in the tour if his wife Louise and two young daughters Georgia and Margot, who was born last month, were not allowed to travel. However, in a meeting with Cricket Australia (CA), it has been told that players are now happy with the quarantine rules and regulations.

Big England Players Set To Miss Out On The Ashes

The squad of team England is expected to be announced this weekend and Joe Root and co. will have an eye on becoming the second English team to win an Ashes away from home in the last 35 years. However, some very important members of the team will not be able to give their services in the Ashes tour.

Star All-rounder Ben Stokes is on a break from cricket to focus on his mental well being. Jofra Archer has been ruled out of cricket for an entire year due to a severe injury. Sam Curran suffered an Injury during his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has been ruled out for several months, Moeen Ali has announced his retirement from the longest format of the game and Olly Stone will also be not available for selection.

The news comes just after the announcement that England’s new structure of central contracts for 2021-22. In total 20 players got the new-look contract which will run from October 1 and in deals, there will be no split between Test and white-ball cricket. According to the new deals, the multi-format Cricketers can earn up to £850,000-per-year only as a salary.

Talking about the contracts the director of cricket England Ashley Giles stated that the new contract system is the fairest and most transparent way of rewarding cricketers.

“Since the inception of central contracts in 2002, the system has facilitated improved preparation, performance and professionalism of the England team and has ensured that players are well rewarded for representing their country at the elite level”

He added:

“The international game continues to evolve, and we have to be mindful that we have to lead the way in player performance across cricket’s ever-changing landscape. Our objective remains the same to develop world-class players in all three formats as we strive to become the most respected team in the world.”

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