Eoin Morgan strengthens position as England's limited-overs captain in India

It is in contrast to Alastair Cook, who ended his tour as Test captain poorly

Rory Dollard
Saturday 28 January 2017 15:07 GMT
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Morgan has impressed after missing the Bangladesh tour
Morgan has impressed after missing the Bangladesh tour (AFP/Getty Images)

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Louise Thomas

Louise Thomas

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England's Test captain Alastair Cook may have departed India drained and pondering his future but limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan is one victory away from leaving with his mandate underlined in bold.

A 4-0 defeat before Christmas left Cook visibly rattled and primed for a period of soul-searching that has yet to reach a conclusion but Morgan's fortunes have fared differently since he took charge of the white-ball team earlier this month.

Almost as soon as he touched down in Mumbai, Morgan was answering questions about his decision to miss the Bangladesh tour on safety grounds: Had the side welcomed him back? Was his deputy Jos Buttler happy to hand back the reins? Was he even certain of his place after some indifferent form?

Now, as he prepares for Sunday's second Twenty20 in Nagpur, the first of two chances to seal the short-form series, Morgan knows those issues have effectively been shelved.

Team-mates have been effusive in their support of the Dubliner, not just in the usual soundbites but also in committing to the full-throttle approach he demands of them on the field. Successive wins in the final ODI and first T20 brought plenty of cheer but even in defeat, in the 50-over outings at Pune and Cuttack, England's batsmen played with verve to post 350 and 366.

His own game is also in good shape, having scored England's only century of the trip and struck the most sixes of any batsmen from either side, with 13.

Chris Jordan praised Morgan's qualities on the eve of the game at Nagpur's VCA Stadium, crediting the 30-year-old for setting the tone that others follow.

"He's a leader and we follow him in everything that he does," said the seamer.

England's captain Eoin Morgan (R) celebrates his half century with his team-mate Joe Root
England's captain Eoin Morgan (R) celebrates his half century with his team-mate Joe Root (Reuters)

"He tries to lead from the front in his language and his body language and everything he does and we just try to follow suit. You can see that with both the personnel and the way we play our cricket, it's very aggressive and on the front foot and I think that stems from the captain."

Leadership in cricket can mean many things, with captains judged on their tactical and talismanic qualities as well as their own performances.

But Morgan's overwhelming quality at the head of this side appears to be the unwavering belief he gives his troops, who are increasingly certain in their own methods.

Buttler described him as a "revolutionary" of the English game earlier in the tour and Jordan is just as effusive.

"He always encourages us to take the positive option because he believes, in the long run, that's the way we should play and that will get us the best possible results," he said.

Jos Buttler called Morgan 'revolutionary'
Jos Buttler called Morgan 'revolutionary' (Getty)

"Everything he does, everything he tries to implement in the team we try and follow. You can't really pick a better person to drive that positive, aggressive mindset forward."

On a personal level, Jordan has ambitions beyond his current status as a T20 specialist for England.

He played the last of his eight Tests in May 2015 and has not been involved in any of the three 50-over squads over the winter.

"You have ambition so whenever you don't get selected disappointment is an emotion that is warranted," he said. "The ODI team and the Test team are two teams I want to get back into as soon as possible.

"I'm working very hard to do that. I don't think it's beyond me. Every game is a chance to impress, to stake a claim and I don't see Sunday, or the game in Bangalore, being any different."

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