“2023 World Cup Win for England Will Surpass 2019 Glory,” Former England Captain Eoin Morgan
Former England cricket captain Eoin Morgan recently shared his insights on England’s journey towards defending their Cricket World Cup title in India. Morgan, who led the team to a historic victory on home soil in 2019, believes that winning the tournament in India would be an even greater accomplishment.
In a candid column for Sky Sports, he discussed the challenges facing the current squad, particularly captain Jos Buttler, and the shift in priorities within English cricket around the time of ODI World Cup.
Morgan began by emphasizing the contrast in preparation between the 2019 World Cup and the current campaign in India. He stated, “Between 2015 and 2019, our sole focus was trying to win the ODI World Cup at home. There was a clear emphasis on having your best players available in the year leading up and trying to get absolute role clarity in every position possible.”
This meticulous preparation, with a focus on player availability and defined roles, played a pivotal role in England’s success in 2019. “The challenges for me going into 2019 were completely different to what Jos has gone through coming into this tournament,” Morgan wrote.
However, Morgan pointed out that Jos Buttler has not received the same level of support and preparation leading up to this World Cup. He highlighted the significant change in mindset within English cricket, where Test cricket has taken precedence over white-ball formats. “There has been a complete change in mindset in English cricket where test cricket is now the out-and-out priority,” Morgan noted.
Fitness and Lack of Game ODI Games Might Prove Challenging for England
One of the key challenges facing Buttler and the England squad is the limited availability of the best players for T20 internationals and ODIs. For example, Morgan mentioned the case of Mark Wood saying, “They would have wanted everyone in peak fitness before leaving for India but Mark Wood has not bowled in a competitive game since the last Ashes Test in July.”
The current year, marked by the Ashes series and red-ball cricket commitments, has seen the majority of England’s top players occupied with Test cricket. Morgan acknowledged, “Only on very few occasions in Twenty20 internationals and ODIs has Jos had his best side available.”
Additionally, the unique challenge of playing in India, known for its spin-friendly pitches and challenging conditions, adds another layer of complexity to England’s World Cup campaign. However, Morgan added, “I am still extremely hopeful that England can defend the title, though.”
Morgan highlighted the difficulties of being away from home, especially in a cricketing nation where the home team is exceptionally strong. He explained, “Being away from home, especially in India where India are so strong, is tough. Winning here would carry a lot more weight than winning at home.”
Jos Buttler Has Aces Upto His Sleeves To Get the World Cup Job Done for England in India
Eoin Morgan firmly believes that England winning the Cricket World Cup in India would be a more significant achievement for England than their 2019 triumph on home soil. The reduced support for white-ball cricket and the demanding schedule have created a challenging environment for the team.
Jos Buttler inherited the captaincy duties during England’s series against Netherlands. Now, 20 months later, Buttler is looking in good space to lead the team. Morgan talking about Buttler’s captaincy, said, “The biggest compliment I can pay the captain is that he does things his own way.”
“He is not trying to replicate what I would do. Jos’ decision-making ability is as good as anybody else’s under pressure and he went into his first tournament as captain, last year’s T20 World Cup, and won the trophy, which is not an easy thing to do.”
Nonetheless, England’s quest to defend their title begins with the tournament opener against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. As they embark on this journey, they face not only formidable opponents but also the weight of history and expectations that come with being defending champions.
