ENGLAND BATSMAN EOIN Morgan has been dropped for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, while Samit Patel was included in the 16-man squad.
Irish-born left-hander Morgan paid the price for his poor performances in England’s 3-0 Test series loss to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates when he was left out of the squad named today.
Morgan, 25, scored just 82 runs at an average of 13.66 with a top score of 31 in the Tests, one of several batsmen who struggled on the slow, turning wickets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
He carried his poor form into the one-day internationals and the Twenty20 series that followed, with his best score an unbeaten 25 in the second ODI. England coach Andy Flower said Morgan had to improve in the longest format of the game.
“He’s had a tough tour of the UAE, we’ve been here for two months and it’s been hard work for him,” he said. ”He has got some work to do, I think, on his Test game – that’s going to be quite difficult for him considering his next cricket is going to be IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket.”
“He has been severely tested out there by the Pakistan spinners, as have all our batsmen.”
Several members of the squad – Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Steven Davies, Monty Panesar, Patel, Matt Prior and Tredwell – will travel to Sri Lanka ahead of the remainder of the party after England were criticised for being under prepared against Pakistan. England have two three-day matches, the first of which is against a Sri Lanka Board XI starting on March 15, before the first Test.
England: Andrew Strauss, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Steven Davies, Steven Finn, Monty Panesar, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott.
