England may rest players during the Ashes

England may continue with their rest and rotation selection policy during the Ashes later this year if biosecurity restrictions are still in place for their tour to Australia.

All of England’s three-format players have been given a break during their winter Tests in Asia, with team management wary of player burnout given the jam-packed schedule and restrictions on movement due to the pandemic.

Following their Test series defeat to India, England’s star players will next play the limited-overs leg of the tour before taking part in the Indian Premier League, a busy home summer comprising of seven Tests and 12 white-ball internationals, scheduled tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan, the T20 World Cup in India and then the Ashes at the end of the year.

The likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer have all been rested from Test matches in the past two months and England coach Chris Silverwood said that policy could still be in place for the Ashes if restrictions on travel and movement remain.

"I don't think it's acceptable to push somebody until they break and then try and pick them up,” Silverwood said.

“We have to make the intervention before anybody does break so we can get them back in an England shirt quicker.

"Equally, everyone misses their family. The families miss the players that are here. If we can't get the families to the players as we normally would, it's important we do our best to get the players to the families. From a well-being point of view, it's so important these players stay connected with their families.

"Will the policy continue into the English summer? It's certainly something we have to be aware of and consider because we don't know what the landscape will look like from a Covid point of view.

"Could players be flying home midway through the Ashes? We have to be proactive in looking after them, so it's certainly something that we may have to look at, yes.

"I know things are slowly opening up, but we will be guided by the medical advice and what's happening in the country. It's certainly something that we are probably going to have around."

Meanwhile, England's medical staff are investigating Archer's ongoing elbow problems, with Silverwood revealing that the issue could require "long term" management.

Archer played two Tests in England's 3-1 series defeat by India, but was unavailable for the second and fourth games after pain in his right elbow.

The paceman has experienced problems with the joint ever since the triumphant 2019 World Cup, breaking down on the subsequent tour of South Africa and later being diagnosed with a stress fracture.

He is currently back in training ahead of the Twenty20 series and is signed up for a full IPL stint with the Rajasthan Royals, but it is his fitness to withstand the rigours of five-day cricket that will be occupying England's minds.

Archer is seen as the future leader of the red-ball attack, once James Anderson and Stuart Broad eventually pass the torch, and is inked into play a central role in the Ashes.

"I wouldn't say (I'm) concerned, no, but his elbow did flare up a little bit and the medical staff are managing that at the moment," said Silverwood.

"Obviously we'll monitor his progress. The medical staff are talking about how we deal with this long-term. It's not something I would go out and predict but we'll find out in the course of time, won't we?

"I'm not sure surgery has come up yet, I'll be guided by the medics on that.”

Regardless of fitness, there is a chance Archer will not be part of England's next Test side. The dates of the IPL season were officially announced on Sunday, with the final set for May 30.

That is earlier than initially predicted but any England players involved in the knockout stages would still be unable to take on New Zealand at Lord's on June 2.

- additional reporting from PA