YORKSHIRE are in dialogue with the England management regarding Joe Root’s availability for the early stages of the County Championship campaign.

Root is currently enjoying some time off after England’s Test Match tours of Sri Lanka and India, with the latter finishing earlier this month.

Captain Root’s England team-mate Dom Bess is also spending some time off following the same tours, but the White Rose management are more sure of his availability.

The off-spinning all-rounder is in line to make his second Yorkshire debut against Glamorgan at Emerald Headingley in the season opener on April 8.

There are seven Championship games before England’s first summer commitment - the opening Test of two against New Zealand at Lord’s - on June 2, giving Root and Bess ample time for county cricket.

Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale said: “I’ve not heard anything on Rooty’s availability yet. We’re still waiting to hear back from England.

“Bessy is having a couple of weeks off, and then we will touch base and put a plan together to get him ready for the start of the season.

“Knowing Rooty as I do, he will have a couple of weeks off and then be ready to get back to it. He never likes extended breaks. But his workloads do have to be managed given the amount of Test cricket that England have got coming up this year.

“I have pushed it a bit with the England management, and they’ve said they will let me know in due course. Maybe later this week or early next we’ll find out his exact availability.”