Morgan hopes IPL sacrifice means Test reward

Cricket365
April 17, 2014

Middlesex and England batsman Eoin Morgan feels his decision to focus on county cricket rather than put his hand up for the IPL could reap rewards come the time to select the England Test side for their next series.

While Morgan has not often played Test cricket recently, he feels that the current gaps in the side could work in his favour if he scores enough runs domestically over the next six weeks in the County Championship.

Morgan told Sky Sports: "There are some great opportunities knocking around with the transition that English cricket is going through at the moment and it seems like this is a good opportunity to come back and enjoy my cricket at the start of the year.

"There are five games in six weeks and to play continuous Championship cricket without any Twenty20 or one day cricket in between is great. There's great continuity in it and if I get some runs in that period and put myself in some form them maybe I'm in with a shout."

When asked where he saw himself playing, he said: "If I were to get back in, certainly my role will be in the middle order. It's getting in and allowing myself to express myself, and ultimately score a weight of runs."

The batsman went on to say that despite being seen as a limited-overs specialist, and conceded that he didn't have the best long format record, he still had the desire to score more tons in Test whites.

He said: "I probably haven't had that much success in four-day or even Test cricket. But again, when given the chance I absolutely love my time in the Test side.

"I scored two centuries, which are the highlights of my career to date. That hunger is still there to play Test cricket, hence why I've come back early."

The subject of the T20 captaincy came up, given he is often the skipper if Stuart Broad is unavailable, and he was asked if he saw himself in charge of the 'solar red'-clad side in future.

He said: "It's certainly a role that I think I can play. I've enjoyed the captaincy when I've done it, I've done a few one day internationals and some T20s, and now this year I'm the T20 and one-day captain at Middlesex.

"I'm really looking forward to leading the side this year and hopefully bring some silverware to the Home of Cricket (Lord's)."