Joe Root: It’s the right decision for England to return from Sri Lanka
Written by News on 14/03/2020
England captain Joe Root says he is “relieved” that the squad is returning home after their two-Test tour to Sri Lanka was postponed due to coronavirus.
Root and his team-mates had been due to play the first Test in Galle on Thursday but will now return to England, a decision Root fully supports.
“Things happened quite quickly in terms of the decision but guys weren’t fully focused on what we were doing and we’re behind the decision,” he said.
“There’s a little bit (of relief). The unknown and not doing what’s going on is quite different to anything that’s happened on a cricket tour before.
“The health and wellbeing of the guys and the people around the team are paramount and it’s important to be at home with loved ones.
“Having had a day or so to think about what the options were if we were to stay, it would not have sat comfortably with me if we had stayed out here.
“If someone was to get ill, where does that leave them and where does that leave the rest of the squad? That didn’t sit comfortably with me.
“Players could have been isolated in a hospital in Colombo away from the team, which might have been quite an intimidating scenario; in the worst-case scenario if guys got it at home they’d have home comforts and know exactly the process.”
Coronavirus – key sporting developments
- Premier League, EFL, FA Cup and Women’s Super League suspended
- Champions League and Europa League matches postponed
- England Test series in Sri Lanka postponed
- Golf’s Players Championship is cancelled
- F1 cancels Australian GP
- Coronavirus: NFL teams suspend travel
- NBA season suspended “until further notice”
- Euro 2020 likely to be postponed by UEFA
- ATP Tour suspended for six weeks
- PRO14 season postponed until further notice
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Sky Sports News will broadcast three special programmes on Friday at 5pm, 6pm and 10pm (UK time) – Coronavirus In Sport.
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Joe Root: It’s the right decision for England to return from Sri Lanka
