I'd be happy to get on plane to Australia for Ashes, working tirelessly to get there: Stuart Broad

England veteran pacer Stuart Broad has confirmed his Ashes participation this year provided he remains fit. Broad admitted that players are yet to receive any concrete details about the quarantine protocols and regulations, as the negotiations between ECB and CA for providing some relaxations to the visitors are ongoing.

Given the strict Covid-19 restrictions in Australia, a host of England players have been skeptical about being able to make it through the series, which start on December 8 in Brisbane with the first Test.

Meanwhile, Broad, who was ruled out with a calf tear after the opening Test in the home against India recently, stated that he is “working tirelessly” to get back to his fitness for the high-profile Ashes Down Under.

“If you ask me if I would be happy to get on a plane to Australia in November, I would say yes,” Broad said in his Mail on Sunday column, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

“I am working tirelessly to get there. I don’t feel there will be a postponement. In my mind, it is 100 per cent clear that an England team of some description will embark on the tour. It is now just a couple of weeks away from a squad being selected but players can’t sign up to something unless they know what they are signing up for,” he added.

We need a situation where we are allowed to train: Stuart Broad

“The ECB have tried to keep us as informed as possible with the information that they are getting from Cricket Australia. It’s just that minimal detail has been available. I don’t think anyone can say hand on heart that we won’t be living in a bubble out there and that will be extremely challenging,” said Broad.

As per the quarantine protocols laid out by the Australian government, any person travelling from abroad needs to practice a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

“With the situation Australia is in — with their own citizens struggling to get into the country — I am not thinking we will just be able to fly in with no quarantining, as if we are living a normal life, because the world is not a normal place at the moment. We need to be in a situation where we are allowed to train for between two and three hours a day. An international bowler rarely goes two weeks in a year without bowling,” he added.