ROOT: ASHES ON BACK BURNER

Joe says England's full focus is on India now, not the trip to Australia this winter

- BY GARY FITZGERALD

JOE ROOT is chomping at the bit to get stuck into India but warned any thoughts of the Ashes must be placed on the back burner.

The Yorkshire run-machine is fully pumped up and ready to wreak more havoc with the bat as England prepare for the opening clash of a five-match series which starts at Headingley tomorrow.

Root will, no doubt, have his usual vast army of fans chanting and cheering for him as he goes into Test battle again on home turf.

England head into the contest on the back of a crushing win in the one-off Test with Zimbabwe. But Ben Stokes (left) and his men now face a daunting 10-Test sequence, including five Ashes clashes at the end of the year.

Indian greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired from the Test scene after lighting it up for so long with their brilliant batting but Root believes India will still be strong.