By Rob Barnett
National Selector James Whitaker, who went to see Alastair Cook to explain the decision to drop him, says the reason for Cook’s omission from England’s Tri-Series and World Cup squad is solely his batting form.
Eoin Morgan, part of a 15-man squad announced this morning, has taken over England’s one-day international captaincy for the series with Australia and India in the new year followed by the World Cup.
Cook had been in charge full-time since just after the last World Cup, winning 36 of his 69 games as skipper, but this year has made just one score of 50 or more in 20 ODI innings.
It led to Whitaker and his fellow selectors Peter Moores, the Head Coach, Angus Fraser and Mick Newell deciding yesterday to drop Cook, who will continue as Test captain.
Speaking exclusively to ecb.co.uk after the squad was named today, Whitaker said:“It came to his form not being good enough to be in the top 15 players in one-day cricket at the minute.”
He added: “Alastair Cook still has the whole respect of every England player. Every England supporter he should have the respect of.
“He’s carried a lot of pressure on himself this summer and he’s come out of it in a Test series having beaten India 3-1.
“The guy’s been a remarkable captain and will be in the future. English cricket fans should be grateful they’ve got someone of that integrity and honesty that leads the Test team.”
Whitaker believes Morgan, who has been England captain 17 times across the limited-overs formats, can lead his adopted country to success Down Under in the coming months.
Morgan is about to start playing in the Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder so will likely be spending the rest of the winter in Australia and New Zealand, the World Cup co-hosts.
“He’s really happy to try and take this team forward in his style and work with Peter and the coaches in a positive way. We’re looking forward to him taking the team forward,” he said.
“He’s got some experience before. He’s got some history behind him as captain, played well when he does (captain).
“He’s an individual that we believe is suited to leadership. Hence he’s been on the fringe of vice-captaincy and captaincy prior to this. And it’s our feeling that he can do really well for the team.”
Cook’s omission means a return to the squad for Gary Ballance, one of three changes from the party that toured Sri Lanka along with fit-again pacemen James Andersonand Stuart Broad.
Ballance, part of the England Performance Programme in Sri Lanka and South Africa this month, has enjoyed a fantastic start to his Test career but has yet to repeat that form in his 12 ODIs despite having a List A average above 50.
“We had to think about the balance of the squad for Pete and the coaches to work with,” Whitaker explained.
“Gary’s been introduced to one-day cricket before. We know what a phenomenal start he’s had to his international career and his domestic one-day career suggests in the future he can combine both forms of the game and do equally as well in one-day cricket and Test cricket.”