Morgan backs England over decision to exclude Brook

London: Eoin Morgan, the 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup-winning captain, has backed England’s thought process over the omission of Harry Brook from the upcoming Men’s ODI World Cup squad.

On August 16, Brook’s omission came from England’s ODI squad due to all-rounder Ben Stokes coming out of his retirement from the format to help England defend their World Cup title in India, won four years ago on home soil, from October 5 to November 19, thus sparking a wide-ranging debate since then.

Despite fetching tremendous success in Tests and T20Is, Brook has only played three ODIs for England, all of it against South Africa earlier this year. At the domestic level, he last played a 50-over game for Yorkshire in 2019, due to the competition clashing with the Hundred in the last three years.

“In really good teams that have a lot of talent, but mainly a lot of success, there are really good players that miss out. When I look at the squad that has been selected, I can’t get Harry Brook into that squad. You need two seamers and an extra spinner which they have cover for but an extra batter in amongst that, I just can’t fit Harry Brook in, which is amazing to say,” said Morgan on Sky Sports.

Morgan, who retired from international cricket last year, added that there’s a trust factor in leaving out a brilliant player like Brook within the team

set-up. “I will emphasize this again. In really, really successful sides, you have brilliant players that sometimes miss out. And that’s okay.”

“That’s for the benefit of the changing room and the understanding that there is a huge element of trust that is built with players in that changing room, in committing to the collective goal, and there’s no compromise with that. And I don’t get the feeling that Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler will ever compromise that.”