Saturday, 02 January 2021 - 10:29
England fly to Sri Lanka on Saturday evening with a psychologist in their ranks and an insistence from their captain, Joe Root, that the emergence of any Covid-19 cases will not automatically trigger an end to the tour.
The two-Test series that begins on 14 January, rearranged from March when the pandemic cut short the trip. This kickstarts nearly three months on the subcontinent for the men’s national teams, with a full tour of India to follow that features four Tests, five Twenty20s and three one-day internationals.
Root described the South Africa cancellation as “a unique situation” and stressed the decision was made above their heads. But he added that Sri Lanka and India represents “a level up” as regards the challenge of touring during the pandemic.