Ashes 2019: Joe Root confident Jason Roy will play in third Test despite concussion scare

England captain Joe Root fully expects Jason Roy to be fit for the third Ashes Test in Leeds despite the fact Ollie Pope is on standby for the opener who was hit in the nets on Tuesday.

Roy was struck on the helmet by a throwdown from 2005 Ashes-winning batsman Marcus Trescothick, who is currently with the England team as a batting consultant.

He was initially cleared of concussion today, however, he will face more tests tomorrow morning before the third Test against Australia starts at Headingley.

The tourists are missing Steve Smith through concussion after he was struck on the neck by a 92.4mph bouncer from England’s Jofra Archer during the second Test at Lord’s.

Smith, Australia’s best batsman who has 378 runs in this series already, was diagnosed with late-onset concussion the morning after the initial blow, which forced him off the field for 45 minutes before he resumed his innings on Saturday.

Roy has had a rough start to his Test career, averaging 19.50 from three Tests. He has a top score of just 28 in this Ashes series so far and, after coach Trevor Bayliss admitted he was more a middle-order player, there is already talk of him moving down to No4 or No5, with Joe Denly potentially moving up to replace him as an opener.

That is unlikely to happen in this Test. But Denly could find himself opening if Roy is ruled out and 21-year-old Pope is drafted in to the XI.

Root, though, expects the opener to be fit. “Jason’s been monitored quite closely as you’d expect,” he said. “He’s undergone a couple of concussion tests so far and scored really well. So as it stands I fully expect him to be fit and ready to go tomorrow. I’m pretty confident Jason’s going to be fit.”

England are being extra cautious over Roy because if he subsequently feels the effects of concussion once the Test has started they will not be able to field a substitute as only injuries sustained in a match qualify for a replacement.

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Marnus Labuschagne was international cricket’s first concussion substitute at Lord’s and will play at Headingley in place of Smith.

Pope, if required by England, is coming off the back of a fine performance for Surrey, the youngster scoring 221 against Hampshire in the latest round of County Championship matches.

Pope missed the final day of that contest at The Oval to travel up to Leeds.

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And Root admitted he has no qualms pulling a player out of big games if the team doctor deems them to be unfit.

“I think you have to give the responsibility to the doctors and if they call him and say he’s not fit, regardless of the situation in the game, then that has to stand,” said Root. “Of course this is a huge series and it means so much to all our players, but it doesn’t mean that much in terms of someone getting seriously hurt and potentially ruining the rest of their life.

“It is really important we look after the players. We have team doctors and medics and we have to respect their decision, even if it doesn’t sit well with you as a player and as captain the safety of the player has to come first.”