Former England World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan feels the Jos Buttler-led side would require the services of Test skipper Ben Stokes and red-ball specialist Joe Root for the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy (CT). The mega event is set to be held in Pakistan early next year. Morgan, who will be seen in action in the International Masters League in India in Nov-Dec, feels Stokes and Root’s availability will bolster England’s chances to win their maiden CT title. Root hasn’t been part of the ODI setup for long, having played his last game in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Stokes, on the other hand, came back from ODI retirement for last year’s WC and his 50-over future remains unclear since.
Recently, Stokes stated that he hasn’t received a call from England head coach Brendon McCullum about his ODI future. Morgan feels both Root and Stokes should get a call-up for CT 2025.
“Ben Stokes has already said that he hasn’t had the call yet from Baz as to whether he will play or not,” Morgan said at the launch of the International Masters League in Mumbai on Tuesday. He further opined, “If that call comes, obviously he would love to play. In my eyes, they’ve got to come into a major world tournament and look to win it, and that means trying to find the best team – and for me, Stokes and Root are in that best team.”
Morgan also lauded the Harry Brook-led England side for the fight shown in the recent home ODIs versus Australia, which they lost 3-2. He stated, “At the moment, I’m happy to back the younger players. In the recent series against Australia, they found a template. Australia, you have to commend how good they are at the moment in all formats of the game. But when you put them up against a side that, at stages, didn’t have [Jofra] Archer, no Wood, Stokes and Root as well, no Buttler, that’s half your England team.”
“The run chase at Durham (England were chasing 305 in the third-ODI), when Harry Brook scored that magnificent hundred and then just went on to find his feet as captain and the template that they found in that game, I thought, is one that really suits the players that they’ve selected. I would encourage them to continue with that template and look ahead to the Champions Trophy,” Morgan added.
At present, both Stokes and Root are part of England’s Test squad for the ongoing three-match series versus Pakistan, in Pakistan.
