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Nasser Hussain said that England players getting criticized for their attitude towards quarantining in Australia ahead of the Ashes does not ‘sit comfortably’ with him.

Australia captain Tim Paine did not show empathy as a fellow professional for England players when he said that the Ashes will go ahead regardless of whether Joe Root boards the plane to Australia or not, said Nasser Hussain.

Nasser Hussain. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Nasser Hussain: Tim Paine Didn’t Show Empathy

The former England captain said that current skipper Joe Root and the rest of the players have conducted themselves well, considering their hectic schedule and the number of days they had to spend in quarantine.

“When Tim Paine, Australia’s Test captain, spoke recently I didn’t hear much empathy from a fellow professional. Now others have jumped on the Ashes bandwagon, as if England are somehow trying to dodge an important series,” said Nasser Hussain.

Tim Paine recently said that England players have a choice to make as far as travelling to Australia is concerned for the Ashes later this year.

“They’ll have a choice to make, you either get on that plane or don’t,” Australia’s captain said on radio station SEN.

Australia Test skipper Tim Paine (Photo | AP)

“No one is forcing you to come. If you don’t want to come, don’t come. The Ashes are going ahead. The first Test is on 8 December, whether Joe is here or not. There will be a squad of England players coming here.”

Tim Paine, Australia Test captain, said that the Ashes will begin on December 8 regardless of whether counterpart Joe Root is part of the tour amid ongoing uncertainty about the level of restrictions the tourists may face.

Nasser Hussain: England Has Played 18 Tests-The Most By Any Team Since Covid-19

Nasser Hussain said that England players have played many more Tests than Australia has since March 2020.

“England have played 18 Test matches since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. That’s five more than anyone else – and 14 more than Australia, whose four Tests all came at home against India last winter,” said Nasser Hussain.

“I’m quite proud of the way in which England’s Test team have kept the show on the road in difficult circumstances, moving in and out of bubbles and spending time away from their families. It’s draining. Mental health has suffered,” he said.

Australia has caps on international arrivals, and there is a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine even for the fully vaccinated. The first Australia vs England Test match will be contested at Brisbane’s Gabba from 8-12 December whereas, the 2nd Test match will be at the Adelaide Oval from 16-20 December, and it will be a Day-Night affair.

The iconic Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (26-30 December) and Sydney Cricket Ground (5-9 January), respectively, with the final 5th Test scheduled for Perth’s Optus Stadium (14-18 January).

It is understood that England’s key players, including captain Joe Root, will decide on their availability shortly. However, England’s multi-format players, such as Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, and Chris Woakes, wouldn’t be willing to spend up about four months away from their families as they will fly to Australia straight from the UAE, where the T20 World Cup will be held.

Some of the players will also participate in the second half of the IPL 2021. England’s participation in the Ashes series has been a debatable issue in the last few months due to players’ concerns with the strict quarantine measures in Australia. Notably, the Australian government refused to relax the stringent quarantine protocols for the England players and their families.