Alex Hales: Eoin Morgan reveals every senior player agrees with decision to omit opening batsman over ‘complete breakdown in trust’

The openings batsman has been left out due to an off-field incident after reportedly testing positive for recreational drugs

Eoin Morgan has revealed that “everybody” in a senior players’ meeting agrees with Alex Hales being withdrawn from England’s World Cup squad due to a “complete breakdown in trust.”

Hales has been withdrawn from the squad due to an “off-field incident”, reportedly a positive test for recreational drugs.

And ahead of England’s one-day international vs Ireland in Dublin on Friday, Morgan has clarified the team’s stance on the matter.

“Everybody in a senior players’ meeting agreed that the best decision was for Alex to be deselected,” said Morgan.

“We believe it is the right call, made considering everyone in the squad.”

Morgan has fully backed the decision, highlighting Hales’ disregard to the team’s “culture” and “values” leading to their trust breaking down.

“We have worked extremely hard over the last 18 months to establish our culture and work towards values that everyone across all three formats could adhere to, respect and relate to,” said Morgan.

“We have been at that stage for six or seven months. They are in place. There has been a complete disregard for those values.

“There has been a complete breakdown in trust between Alex and the team. Everybody in the senior players’ meeting agreed that the best decision for the team and the culture moving forward was for Alex to be deselected.

Alex Hales has been omitted from the World Cup squad (PA)

“We don’t make that final call. I communicated this to Ashley Giles and the decision was made. It’s important now that Alex uses the support around him to try to turn things around.”