Morgan in a quandary over his best selection

England cricket captain Eoin Morgan admits he is still not sure of his best Twenty20 team going into today’s tour opener in South Africa.

It is less than a year until the T20 World Cup in India but, given the reduced focus on the format in recent times, there remains a number of questions Morgan needs to settle in his own mind.

In the run-up to 2019 all eyes were on the triumphant 50-over World Cup and the Ashes, while this summer’s use of separate red and whiteball bubbles meant Morgan was not always able to call on his top players.

Priorities are now shifting with another shot at silverware on the horizon next October and there are places – within the team and in the batting order – up for grabs.

“Given the strength of the squad we have selected here, with the reserves that we have and given it’s the first time in a long time we’ve had a full-strength side available, it is really exciting,” said Morgan after final preparations at Newlands.

“This is the answer, no, I don’t know my best XI. There are probably seven or eight guys who are strong candidates (for the remaining places). With a full-strength squad here there is so much to disc uss around team selection.”

All the indications are that Jason Roy and Jos Buttler will remain in the opening spots, with D aw i d Ma l a n , Jo n ny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan making up the top six.

Sam Curran is set to take the spot at number seven, edging out fellow all-rounder Moeen Ali on a horses-for-courses basis. Curran’s left-arm seam is viewed as a better option in Cape Town, but on the sub- continent Moeen’s off-breaks would make him a near certainty.

Six Pakistan players have tested positive for Covid-19 while on tour in New Zealand. The squad are in managed isolation in Christchurch.