I could drop myself, claims captain Morgan
EOIN MOrgaN returns to action for England today insisting he would drop himself if he thought it would help his team win the Twenty20 World Cup. The 35-year-old captain is in the midst of a lean run of form with just 41 runs in nine innings and a top score of 13 during the recent resumption of the IPL. Morgan, who still led Kolkata Knight riders to last week’s final, has also only mustered 82 runs in seven T20 innings for England this year. and the Irishman knows his status as skipper is no longer enough to guarantee his place in the XI, with Jos Buttler, Jason roy, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone and Moeen ali all jostling for top-six spots. Morgan opted to miss Monday’s defeat by India when vice-captain Buttler took charge but he will play in today’s final warm-up match against New Zealand ahead of Saturday’s World Cup opener against the West Indies. asked whether he would ever leave himself out of his own side, Morgan replied: ‘It’s always an option. I’m not going to stand in the way of a team winning the World Cup. ‘I’ve been short of runs but my captaincy has been pretty good as it goes. I’ve always managed to compartmentalise both and treat them as two different challenges. Not being a bowler, being a bit older and not contributing as much in the field, I’ve loved the role of captain. You get two bites at the cherry impacting the game. ‘as for my batting, I wouldn’t be standing here if I hadn’t come out of every bad run of form that I’d ever had. ‘The nature of T20 cricket and where I bat means I always have to take quite high-risk options and I’ve come to terms with that. ‘It’s the nature of the job, so I’m going to continue taking those risks if the team dictates they need them. If they don’t, I won’t.’ For now at least, Morgan is likely to slot back in at No 6. That would mean either one of the current batsmen making way — with slow starter Malan perhaps the most vulnerable despite being ranked as the world’s No 1 T20 batsman — or playing one fewer bowler and giving part-time spinner Livingstone more overs. The in-form Livingstone was declared fully fit yesterday after damaging a finger against India. England are not the favourites to win this tournament — that tag goes to India. But the chance to complete a World Cup double, following the home 50-over success in 2019, is acting as a major motivation for Morgan. ‘It’ll be special if we manage to do it,’ said the 35-year-old. ‘There’s a real chance of being contenders.’ LIVE on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.50am, starts 11am.