Jos Buttler Hints At Pulling Out Of Ashes In Australia If Family Not Allowed To Travel

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler hinted that he may pull out of the Ashes series later in the year in Australia, if the Australian government doesn’t permit the players’ families to travel with them.

The Ashes series Down Under has come under uncertainty as the English players have expressed their displeasure – some even threatened to withdraw – in fears that their families may not be allowed to fly with them due to Australia’s strict Covid-19 restrictions.

Jos Buttler has even pulled out of the second half of the IPL 2021, to be played in the UAE, as he and his wife are expecting their second child. He had hit a century in his last game in the IPL, in the India leg, before the tournament was suspended.

Speaking to The Times newspaper, Jos Buttler said, “One of the challenges is working out where the line is where you say I can’t do that. I’ve sacrificed a lot for cricket and my wife and family have sacrificed a lot.

“You have to be open to saying no. It would be incredibly disappointing if some players feel like they can’t do it, but we’re in a world at the moment where that is a possibility.”

“COVID is incredibly challenging for everyone and Australia has a very strict policy in how they’ve tried to deal with it. Until we get more information about what it (the Australia tour) might look like, it’s impossible to know what decision you’re making,” he added.

Glenn Phillips replaces Jos Buttler at Rajasthan Royals for the remainder of IPL

New Zealand keeper-batsman Glenn Phillips will turn up in pink for the Rajasthan Royals as he is added as Jos Buttler’s replacement. Phillips is scheduled to join the Royals squad in the UAE on September 19, after his participation in the CPL for the Barbados Royals. He has had successful stints in England’s Vitality Blast as well as the Hundred.

The right-hander has experience of 134 T20 matches, including 25 T20Is, in which he has scored 3744 runs at a strike rate of 143.28. He is selected in New Zealand’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

Also Read: IPL 2021: Josh Hazlewood Available For UAE Leg, Confirm CSK