England have planned to be without Stokes
JOE Root says England are planning as if they will be without Ben Stokes for the entire Ashes tour.
Durham all-rounder Stokes will not fly out with the rest of the squad to Australia today, having been suspended following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September.
The 26-year-old vice-captain remains under investigation after being arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.
Stokes, who also suffered a broken finger, has not been ruled out of the five-match Test series, which begins in Brisbane on November 23.
However, he is out of consideration for selection until further notice.
England captain Root has yet to name his vice-captain for the tour but revealed that is also a discussion which will take place Down Under.
The Yorkshire batsman said: “We will sit down and come to that conclusion over the next two weeks.
“I think Stokes joining the squad is something we can look at when it is a possibility.
“We have to make sure we plan and prepare as a squad and look to approach it as if this is our team going out there for the tour.
“We cannot look at what is out of our hands, we want to get out there and get our teeth into the cricket.”
The Bristol incident prompted accusations of a drinking culture among the England team, something which Root denies.
However the 26-year-old batsman, embarking on his first Ashes tour as skipper, did promise there would be no repeat.
He added: “We will sit down and make sure nothing like this happens again, we know it was not good enough.” ■■PACEMAN James Weighell, 23, has agreed a two-year contract extension with Durham which ties him to the Emirates Riverside until the end of the 2020 season.