Morgan criticised, Root tipped for captaincy

A UK media report says Joe Root could be elevated to England’s one-day international captaincy later this year as their World Cup skipper Eoin Morgan comes under fire for his decision to choose club over country.

Morgan took over the reins of England's ODI side from Alastair Cook on the eve of the recent World Cup, but could not prevent a shock exit in the group stage.

During the tournament, Paul Downton, then managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, granted Morgan permission to play the entire Indian Premier League season and miss England’s standalone ODI against Ireland next week.

The match signals the beginning of a new four-year cycle that will culminate in the 2019 World Cup and, given the unavailibility of Morgan and England's Test squad in the West Indies, Nottinghamshire’s James Taylor was this week awarded the captaincy of a squad that includes five uncapped players.

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But former England captain Michael Atherton says Morgan should lead the Three Lions out against his country of birth.

"There should be no problem with England cricketers playing in the IPL," Atherton wrote in his column for The Times.

"Wherever possible, England and county players should be allowed the opportunity to play: because it adds to their general cricketing experience; enables them to play in front of big crowds; gives them a chance to share best practice in Twenty20 cricket; will improve their 50-over cricket, since the one has had a significant impact on the other; and it increases their chances of making a decent living from the game.

"But none of that should be allowed to impact upon the principle that, in selection, country should come first.

"It is the principle that caused the England selectors, rightly, to give Yorkshire short shrift when they asked that Adil Rashid be returned during the Grenada Test.

"That is the strongest reason why Morgan should play because it is a simple principle that underpins everything and allows for clear decision-making moving forward."

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Morgan and David Warner at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL // BCCI

While Morgan warms the bench for David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad in India – he's played two of their seven matches so far – Root continues to enjoy a run of form that’s seen him average 110 in Test cricket since he was dropped in the final Ashes Test in Sydney 15 months ago.

The 24-year-old also emerged from England’s World Cup campaign unscathed, scoring 121 against Sri Lanka in Wellington and averaging a tick over 40 for the tournament.

According to a report in The Telegraph, the Yorkshireman could be appointed England's full-time ODI skipper in the coming months with the view that he will lead them towards the next World Cup.

The report by Nick Hoult says the decision will ultimately rest with Downton's replacement as director of cricket, who is set to be appointed in the coming weeks.

"(Root) has been identified as a future Test captain since breaking into the side in 2012 but, like many of his predecessors, leading the one-day team will be a stepping stone to the main job," Hoult wrote.

"Making Root captain this summer would give him time to adjust to the job, whereas sticking with Morgan when there are doubts over his form could lead to another sacking and give his successor less time to grow into the role."

Following the one-off match against Ireland, England will host a five-match ODI series against World Cup finalists New Zealand in June before another five matches against Australia in September.