Eoin Morgan believes this is the strongest England white ball side he has been involved in – and says he enjoys the “luxury” of having to select a starting team.
The Three Lions take on South Africa in a three-match Royal London ODI series starting at Headingley on Wednesday before they attempt to win the ICC Champions Trophy on home soil next month.
England started the summer with a 2-0 series win over Ireland and have been boosted by the return of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes following their involvement in this year’s Indian Premier League.
Morgan admits England face a selection dilemma given the strength in depth of the squad and the number of players in form ahead of the South Africa fixtures.
Asked if this is the strongest limited overs side he has played for, Morgan replied: “Certainly yes, and I’ve said it for the last six months.
“The talent we’ve had within the squad has been unbelievable. We’ve come close to fulfilling potential throughout the couple of years we’ve been together, but we have a lot of hard work to do in order to be contenders for the 2019 World Cup.
“We have had dilemmas over the last couple of years but certainly having everybody fit and raring to go, it does give us a luxury in selection. We can pick two or three different changes from our squad of 15 and it’s a very good position to be in.”
As England head into a packed schedule of 50-over cricket, Morgan expects the whole 15-man squad to play a role in the coming weeks.
He added: “In a huge tournament, I think everybody in the 15 will play a part. With the weather and conditions changing from venue to venue, I think it’s important to have everybody ready at any given time.
“Part of our development over the past couple of years has been to get games under guys belts if they are fit. We have done that really well, everybody in the side has had a good go and produced their best at some stage or another. That’s important coming into a big tournament.”
South Africa arrived in England ranked by the ICC as the best ODI side in the world and Morgan thinks they will provide the best possible preparation for the Champions Trophy.
Morgan added: “I think it’s great preparation. They are a very strong team and a hard team to beat. What we’ve done well in the past is focus on ourselves and our strengths, particularly at home. That will be no different leading into the Champions Trophy.”
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