Joe Root hopes England's controversial rest and rotation policy "can be put behind us" ahead of the Ashes series against India and the following.
While England have selected their strongest available T20I squad for two consecutive series (in India and against Sri Lanka), they did not have a full-strength Test team available at any point in the winter.
But England's Test captain, Root, now anticipates all of his players (apart from injuries) to be available for the next 10 Tests, suggesting that such a series - and the Ashes in particular - "what do you do for it". are".
And with the start of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Root is keen to attend the next final rather than watch it on TV, as was the case last week when New Zealand beat India in the opening ceremony. The Ages Bowl.
"We are now approaching a time where rest and rotation are behind us," Root said. "Hopefully, if everyone is fit, we'll have our best team available going forward. It's really exciting and something I'm looking forward to a lot."
"We have ten very tough Test matches against two great opponents, but this is a great opportunity for us to play some strong cricket and if everyone is fit and available we will have a good team ourselves.
"I think, in the next five Tests, we'll try to play our strongest team or we have the strongest team available for those games. It's, I guess, what you do for it: getting ready. For this lead-in and especially for that Ashes, to make sure everyone is at their peak, and these big games.
"Watching the WTC final and not being a part of it, it makes you want to be a part of something special like that. We have a chance now to do a little bit better and better than when we got out the first time. Hoping to get off to a good start with the entire team of players."
Whether Root is expressing his aspirations or the new ECB policy is unclear. While he has kept the company line on his weak squads in recent times, there have been moments when his body language has indicated some dismay. It's entirely possible that watching England play a full-strength T20I team against a modest Sri Lankan opposition, just weeks after their weak Test team lost its seven-year unbeaten home record, might have prompted him to express his dismay. be inspired to. more public way. Either way, the England management can no longer doubt his views.
Ultimately, the key to England's ability to pick the strongest team may lie with the Australian government. The ECB, through Cricket Australia, has requested an arrangement that allows families to join the team for at least some of the tours. It is understood that the ECB is ready to hire a flight to facilitate this.
But if that exemption is not granted, it seems players from all formats - and especially those involved in the T20 World Cup and the Ashes - will continue to be rotated to ensure that they stay away from their families for a very long time. Not far away are a single stretch.
"I really hope the families will be in Australia," Root said. "It's a really important aspect of that tour. With the amount of cricket we have, it's going to be really important.
"I can't give you an answer. It's not something I know as a matter of fact yet or not, but I very much hope that will be so."
Root also expressed his continued ambition to recall England's T20I squad ahead of the World Cup.
Root said, 'Every player wants to be part of that team. "It looks like a great team. To be a part of it. As someone who is currently out of it, they are playing some amazing cricket. It looks as strong as it has done in the format. And Whoever is going into that last team in that World Cup will be full of confidence because they know they deserve to be there."
But when the focus has been on Root's batting - obviously, it may be his bowling that reminds him. He has, in fact, been England's first-choice Test spinner to date this summer, and claimed his first five-wicket haul in India over the winter. Like Liam Livingstone, he can bowl both off-spin and leg-spin and, thanks to Carlos Brathwaite's late intervention, could have been the Player of the Match in the last World T20 final.
"Of course, I'd love to be involved," Root continued. "All I can do is score runs and try to push a case in the games available to me. All I'm really concerned with is this: trying to do as well as I can, whatever the format. If I do that well enough so you never know, I might get a chance at the end of it.
"It's not perfect, the schedule. We play a lot more cricket than anyone else and have to compromise at times. I'm looking forward to playing for England in all formats as much as I can."