World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan has said that England should consider right-hand batter Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes for the ICC Champions Trophy which will take place in Pakistan next year.
Root and Stokes last played ODIs in 2023 during the ICC Cricket World Cup in India. Both players will miss the upcoming three-match series against West Indies which will taker later this month. The longest format skipper missed the recent ODI series against Australia due to injury which the Three Lions went on to lose 3-2 whereas on the other hand, the 33-year was given a rest in order to give him a break between Test series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
“I’m happy to back the younger players. In the recent series against Australia, they found a template. Australia, you have to commend how good they are at the moment in all formats of the game. But when you put them up against a side that, at stages, didn’t have [Jofra] Archer, no Wood, Stokes and Root as well, no Buttler, that’s half your England team,” Morgan said at the launch of the International Masters League as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“Ben Stokes has already said that he hasn’t had the call yet from Baz as to whether he will play or not. If that call comes, obviously he would love to play. In my eyes, they’ve got to come into a major world tournament and look to win it, and that means trying to find the best team – and for me, Stokes and Root are in that best team.,” the former left-hand batter added.
“The younger players playing in the upcoming series against the West Indies, and then coming here [India] in February, the opportunity is there in front of your face. And that opportunity can be quickly taken away when those big names come back,”
The English team is set to play just six ODIs before the upcoming marquee event, three in West Indies and three in India.
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