Eoin Morgan challenges England second-string to stake claim for T20 World Cup

Without a number of first-choice players for the series with Pakista, the skipper says several players have the opportunity to make an impression

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England captain Eoin Morgan has called on his squad to take advantage of the absence of several high-profile players and stake a claim for inclusion in next year's T20 World Cup in the three-match series against Pakistan.

Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and Mark Wood have been rested following the Test summer, Jason Roy is ruled out with a left side strain and Joe Root has been omitted after missing the South Africa series.

The likes of Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Lewis Gregory and David Willey are all back in the fray, while Chris Jordan has been recalled following an arm injury.

This year's T20 showcase, which was scheduled for October and November in Australia, has been postponed until 2022. India will, therefore, host the next showcase tournament next year.

"It gives us a chance to re-engage and for this series in particular opportunities for guys to stake their claim to be in that final 15 for next year," said Morgan ahead of the series at Emirates Old Trafford.

"Given the circumstances surrounding Covid, the restrictions selection wise and having a priority on player's well-being I think this is another opportunity for guys who potentially would sit outside of that 15 to try and present their best case moving forward for winter tours and the World Cup next year. 

"I also think that opportunities like this don't come around that often when we have our squad at full strength."

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England are back in white-ball action after a 2-1 ODI series win over Ireland earlier this summer.

Morgan believes England's rivals have benefitted from the delay to the World Cup, but the skipper is excited by the prospect of the young members of the squad being given extra time to stake a claim to be involved.

"Given that a lot of the guys who we have in the squad at the moment are young guys coming through when you're at that stage in your career six-eight-twelve months is actually quite a considerable amount of time," he added. 

"The challenge for those guys is actually to get the opportunity to go away and play. Trying to expose them to a lot more white-ball cricket can accelerate their development."

Morgan and stand-in coach Graham Thorpe are faced with a selection dilemma for the first T20 following news Roy will miss the series with a side issue.

Joe Denly or Dawid Malan are likely to open alongside Jonny Bairstow, with Tom Banton likely to be moved to the middle-order despite having opened in South Africa.

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