Captain Morgan downplays Alex Hales question

With Jason Roy being ruled out for two games with a hamstring injury, there were speculations that England may recall Alex Hales.

England skipper Eoin Morgan addresses the media at Old Trafford in Manchester on Monday.

England captain Eoin Morgan looked hesitant when he was asked whether the team management is planning a call-up for Alex Hales. “I've not been part of any discussions simply because I've been firmly focused on managing the players and everything else that's ongoing. I haven't spoken to Ed Smith (the England selector) since the selection meeting. So I don't know,” Morgan said on the eve of England’s World Cup fixture against Afghanistan.

However, earlier speaking to BBC Sport , the England captain did not rule out a possibility of Hales coming back. “If Ed Smith felt that Alex was the best option, we would have to assess how that would sit in the changing room and the stigma it would bring," he said.

With Jason Roy being ruled out for two games with a hamstring injury, there were speculations of Hales’ return, but Morgan played it safe at the media interaction. “I think it would be a case of speaking to Ed because ultimately he will take the final call and say who is involved in the 15, and then addressing how that would look in a changing room setup,” he said.

Hales was dropped from England's preliminary squad after being hit with a 21-day suspension for failing a recreational drugs test. Back then, Morgan said there had been a "complete breakdown in trust" between the batsman and the rest of the squad.