London, Sep 26 Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged Joe Root and Co. to take a leaf out of what India did in Australia last year ahead of their impending Ashes trip Down Under later in the year. He added that Australia is a good team in their backyard but India's 2-1 win for the Border Gavaskar Trophy in January this year proved that the hosts can be defeated.
Vaughan was also firm about England avoiding rotation policy like they did on their Test tour of India. England's rotation policy had come under scanner after they lost 3-1 to India in February and March this year.
"We cannot have rotation like we did in India. That will not work in Australia, they will be hammered if that happens. Look at India in Australia last winter. They had a lot of injuries and lost players at crucial times but because they were a strong, committed group of players they defeated Australia. Australia are a good side in their own conditions but India proved they are beatable," wrote Vaughan in his column for The Telegraph on Sunday.
Vaughan believed that England players can have the restrictions eased once they are done with the mandatory quarantine. "Once they decide to go to Australia, the players will be within their rights to ask for easier restrictions when they have completed their quarantine. The last thing they should agree to is to have strict restrictions imposed on them once they are through the quarantine period, especially when they are fully vaccinated. It would not be fair. But if they are given guarantees that they can live a normal life once out of quarantine then what they decide will tell me a lot about the state of the game."
The 49-year-old concluded by saying the winter season of 2021/22 is going to be a crunch one in terms of players opting for white-ball or red-ball cricket. "This winter is the crunch for me. It is when we find out what players are willing to do. If they are willing to play a World Twenty20 and miss the Ashes then a very dangerous precedent will be set. I have no problem if players choose T20 cricket over Test cricket that is their choice but be honest about it."
"I just get fed up when they say Test cricket is the pinnacle but their actions don't back it up, they are just saying what people want to hear. If Test cricket really is the pinnacle, then show us. Make the sacrifice this winter and go to Australia."
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