Yorkshire’s management are hopeful of having England Test captain Joe Root available for five of the first six Specsavers County Championship matches this summer, starting with a blockbuster clash with champions Essex at Chelmsford.
If all goes well and the ECB management agree, Root’s seasonal debut for the White Rose would come against his former national colleague Sir Alastair Cook from Sunday April 19.
He would then feature in home games against Surrey and Kent at Emerald Headingley in late April and mid-May.
Coach Andrew Gale revealed the White Rose’s, and Root’s, hopes during this week’s fan’s forum at Headingley, hosted by and broadcast on BBC Radio Leeds.
And speaking further on the issue at Headingley yesterday, he said: “It’s ifs and buts at the moment. We’ve had positive communication with Rooty, and he needs to sit down with the ECB now. They might have some different ideas, but knowing Joe as I know him he likes to hit a lot of balls and is a rhythm batter.
“He doesn’t like a lot of time off, so hopefully we’ll have him for the five games I mentioned.
“It might be three games, it might be four or five. We’ll certainly have him for a decent chunk.
“Early season when you want to get out of the blocks well and batting conditions are at their toughest, to have his experience around would be fantastic.
“He loves playing for Yorkshire. It’s not just a means of him getting in touch for England, he wants to come and win games for a club he loves.”
Root will miss the opening game of 2020 against Gloucestershire at Headingley (April 12-15), which follows on quickly from England’s two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
He would then play in matches against Essex away, Surrey at home, Hampshire away, Kent at home and Northamptonshire away ahead of England’s international summer and immediately before four-day cricket makes way for the Vitality Blast at the end of May.
Root has not played as many as five Championship games in a season since 2012 when he played 14 times. He made his Test debut in India at the end of the year.
