Eoin Morgan has explained the reasons why he is wary in the extreme of leading England on their one-day international tour of Bangladesh.
England’s limited-overs captain still remembers making a pact with himself, after previous exposure to security alerts in Bangladesh and India, that he would never put himself in that same position again. The majority of England’s players are understood to be sufficiently reassured after a briefing by security expert Reg Dickason to sign up to the trip this weekend. ODI captain Morgan, however, is still wavering about whether he can possibly perform to his optimum on a tour which was given the go-ahead – following July’s deadly terror attack in a Dhaka cafe – only after Dickason’s favourable report back from his fact-finding mission.
A ‘ring-of-steel’ set of measures is being planned for Morgan’s squad – and those who will then play two Tests under Alastair Cook’s captaincy. But the Irishman’s memories are still vivid of a bomb exploding at a 2010 Indian Premier League match in Bangalore, and a violent backdrop to his short stint in the 2013/14 Dhaka Premier Division.
“In 2010 we played an IPL game in Bangalore, and a bomb went off in the ground,” he said.
“We immediately left and went straight to the airport.
“Another (instance) was (in) Bangladesh, playing domestic cricket during political elections – where things were incredibly violent.”
Morgan and his team-mates have a maximum of 48 hours to confirm to England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss whether they are prepared to travel to Bangladesh at the end of this month, with both the squads due to be named next week. Morgan said: “I think ultimately, as an individual, you need to be comfortable within yourself to be able to focus on cricket.
“I have been to places before when things have become a distraction – and once or twice when that has been security.
“I told myself I would not put myself in that situation again.”
England are set to play three matches under Morgan in Dhaka and Chittagong between October 7 and 12, following a warm-up fixture in Fatullah. Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson have unequivocally made themselves available, Jonny Bairstow has hinted strongly he will be there too, and coaches Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace have both declared they have no problem travelling. Cook is also understood to have privately promised his presence for the Test leg, and the readiness of all remaining squad members is expected to be clarified early next week.
Morgan added: “Playing international cricket, or any cricket, is not about worrying about different things.
“It should be the best time of your life; it should be something that you are looking forward to and wanting to do well in and are able to focus on.
“You have guys who haven’t toured before under circumstances like this – and I think given that nobody has toured there since the terrorist attack adds a bigger decision to it.”
Strauss spelled out in a briefing before England’s season-ending Twenty20 defeat against Pakistan at Old Trafford on Wednesday that there can be no guarantees about future selection for anyone – including Morgan – who allows someone else to “step into your shoes”. Morgan, however, is still grappling with his fears first sown six years ago as he prepares to deliver his verdict to Strauss during the players’ annual appraisals in Loughborough which have long been scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Should he stay at home, England will be searching for a new – probably temporary – limited-overs captain.
The candidates are likely to include current white-ball vice-captain Jos Buttler, who also has his wicketkeeping duties to fulfil, and Cook’s Test deputy Joe Root. With continuity at a premium before next summer’s Champions Trophy, Morgan’s uncertainty about Bangladesh is an obvious complication for selectors and England’s urgent forward planning. Their Test batting coach Mark Ramprakash articulated that fact neatly, in an interview on talkSPORT.
Ramprakash said: “They have got a really nice team spirit going …
very well led by Eoin Morgan, and he has got the respect of the players.
“So it would be disruptive if the captain wasn’t to go, and it would be disappointing from a cricketing point of view.
“Eoin is very experienced in travelling all over India with the IPL, so I’m a little bit surprised that he’s finding going to Bangladesh so much different.
“The national side get a lot of security around them, and I’m sure there will be extensive arrangements put in place.”