JOE ROOT still believes England can overturn the odds and win the Ashes despite the possible absence of Ben Stokes.
Stokes will not be on today’s flight to Australia with the rest of the England team as he waits to learn his fate in the wake of the Bristol punch-up scandal.
Skipper Root is clearly angry with Stokes, 26, although he might be more sympathetic in light of today’s revelations in The Sun the England all-rounder was defending two drinkers who were the subject of homophobic abuse.
Although Root wants to support a friend he has known since their early teens, there is no doubt he feels badly let down by vice-captain Stokes.
The pair have spoken several times this month at the weddings of three England players — including Stokes’ himself — and Root said: “It’s disappointing he’s not going but you have to move on as a team.
“He’s obviously very disappointed but I cannot speak for him, you’d have to ask him all these questions.”
Once they arrive in Perth tomorrow, Root, head coach Trevor Bayliss, security chief Reg Dickason and the squad will agree a social code aimed at preventing off-field aggro.
Root added: “It’s something we’ll discuss as a squad and make sure stuff like this doesn’t happen again.
ASHES HOPE Ben Stokes could yet play in the Ashes as street fight was him defending people from homophobic abuse
“I think it’s important that we as a side, as well as Andrew Strauss and the ECB, are happy with something we come up with together to make sure this is a one-off.
“I don’t think there’s a drinking culture in our side. We’re grown men, we know how to behave and we’ll make sure we conduct ourselves well on this tour.
“To be cooped up in our rooms would be a negative way to go about touring what is a great country.”
Root added: “Ben offers a lot but this is an opportunity for other guys to stand up in difficult situations.
“We can definitely win. I look at how this team has grown. My sole goal this winter is to come home with the urn, simple as that.”
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