Eoin Morgan focus fully on leading England at 2019 World Cup
Friday 24 February 2017 20:31, UK
Eoin Morgan has forsaken his Test career as he concentrates all international ambition on leading England to the 2019 World Cup.
Morgan, who also revealed he would undertake an extra 10,000 mile round trip back to the Indian Premier League after two May one-day games against his native Ireland at Bristol and Lord's, was not announcing his retirement from Test cricket.
England's white-ball captain was speaking on the eve of the first warm-up match, facing the UWI Vice-Chancellor's XI at Warner Park before three ODIs against West Indies, as he mapped out his and his team's short and long-term plans.
They will include ensuring all 14 tourists take part in at least one of the two List A fixtures, on Saturday and Monday - and will not necessarily feature Alex Hales on this tour despite the opener's anticipated addition to England's squad following a scan on Monday to confirm the extent of his recovery from a broken hand.
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Hales' potential, rather than definite, return means there will be much to be gained over the next three days by others.
Asked about his prospects of returning to the longer format he last played more than five years ago, he said: "I think Test cricket has gone for me. I don't think I'll ever play it again."
At 30, the inventive left-hander is already a veteran of 240 limited-overs internationals.
He is therefore focused on England's white-ball aspirations and specifically campaigns in this summer's Champions Trophy and the World Cup two years later, both on home soil.
Morgan anticipates being in charge for both, adding: "Yes, absolutely. That's where all the plans are going towards, what we're working towards as a side so it will be great to be a part of it."
He will try to fit in Specsavers County Championship fixtures with Middlesex this summer.
"I think it's more important for me to actually strive to keep working on my game in red-ball cricket, to continue to work on the first 30 balls I face in a white-ball game," he added
"While that desire is still there, the idea in my mind that I need to keep working on the red-ball game, I'll stick with it."
Being signed by Kings XI Punjab at this week's IPL auction means he will head to India to lead England against Ireland on May 5 and 7 and return on May 8 for a maximum two remaining IPL fixtures before all of England's likely Champions Trophy squad must report on May 14 for a training camp in Spain.
The first task for Morgan's team is to dispel all memories of their last white-ball match - which ended in an embarrassing 75-run Twenty20 defeat against India in Bangalore, after they lost their last eight wickets for eight runs.
"Under-performing like we did in that last game is hugely disappointing, because we worked so hard throughout the tournament," he said.
"So to finish on that note - it would be nice to put it right pretty soon in this series."
Possible England team (v UWI Vice-Chancellor's XI at Warner Park): EJG Morgan (Captain), SW Billings, JJ Roy, JE Root, JC Buttler (wkt), JM Bairstow, MM Ali, CR Woakes, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett, JT Ball
