* Root does not confirm his place on Ashes tour
Joe Root says he is “desperate” to take part in the Ashes, but stopped short of confirming he will definitely lead England in Australia.
England’s players are waiting to learn what touring conditions this winter's series will be played under.
“It is so hard to make a decision until we know what it looks like,” said Root.
“Once that information comes through and we have a bit more clarity, hopefully we are in a position to go and do something special this winter.”
England are looking to regain the urn from Australia, with the five-Test series set to begin on 8 December.
However, with Australia having some of the strictest Covid-19 protocols in the world, England’s players have concerns over whether their families will be allowed to travel with them, the nature of quarantine arrangements and any potential 'bubble' they would be expected to live in.
* Organisers tell teams to isolate after Covid-19 outbreak in Brisbane
Rugby Championship organisers have ordered players and staff to isolate in their hotels amid a Covid-19 outbreak in Brisbane ahead of the final match of the competition.
The outbreak also affected a Sheffield Shield cricket match between Queensland and Tasmania, which was called off just before the toss yesterday (28).
Despite the new cases, the Queensland government has not enforced a lockdown. Brisbane is the scheduled location for the opening Ashes Test in December, said BBC.
New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and hosts Australia played in a double-header in Townsville last weekend and wrap up the competition on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
“We’re not allowed out of the hotel except for essentials or medical visits,” said All Blacks assistant coach Scott McLeod.
“It’s something that's unexpected but we’ve had it before and dealt with it really quickly,” he added.
* Inzamam discharged from hospital after heart attack
Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan Captain and one of their all-time batting greats, has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a heart attack in Lahore yesterday. Inzamam had undergone a successful angioplasty on Monday (27) evening.
Inzamam, who shot to global prominence during Pakistan’s World Cup winning 1992 campaign, had been complaining about chest pain over the last three days.
Initial testing cleared him but tests on Monday revealed he had suffered a heart attack and had to be rushed for surgery. According to his agent, Inzamam was stable but under observation.