Eoin Morgan: England cannot afford to lose our cool in heat of battle this summer

Whatever happens to England this summer, Eoin Morgan is determined to make sure they never lose their cool — even in the intense heat of tournament cricket.

Morgan will lead his side in the three-match one-day series against South Africa, starting at Headingley tomorrow, but they are working towards a far greater prize.

They are favourites to win the Champions Trophy, which starts on June 1 when England meet Bangladesh at The Kia Oval. If they do so, it would be England’s first major global title in the 50-over game.

England have fallen at the final hurdle twice in short-form cricket in recent times: in this tournament four years ago, when India won a chaotic final at Edgbaston, then in the 2016 World Twenty20, when Carlos Brathwaite hit four consecutive sixes in Ben Stokes’ final over to seize the trophy for West Indies.

Morgan’s preparation has been meticulous. Wherever he is playing in the world — in the Indian Premier League, the Big Bash or for Middlesex — a part of his mind is always focused on England. He writes regularly in notebooks, jotting down the ideas he hopes can help the team to glory.

He values regular one-on-one contact with his men — although these chats always take place at the cricket ground, as Morgan believes that when players leave their place of work, they should switch off as quickly as possible.

At 30, he is comfortable in his own skin, no longer the leader who — by his own admission — tried to be all things to all people during the failed 2015 World Cup campaign. He has the respect of his squad and, crucially, is convinced his approach is right.

“When I was younger — 16 to 18, 19 — I would get so frustrated with myself,” Morgan revealed. “I would throw my bat, curse and swear. It would affect my outlook on that game and on the next training sessions. Cricket was my life.

“I was tired of getting so frustrated with myself. It was taking too much out of me. I had to tell myself to wake up, what I was doing wasn’t sensible. I don’t know whether I became more relaxed or more focused but it was about having clarity in all I was doing.

“Look at someone like Ben Stokes, who has always been known as a hot-headed guy. When I see him now and compare him with how he was a few years ago, he is really relaxed. When he was effing and blinding, throwing things around, people said he was ‘passionate’ and ‘lovable’ — but is that good for Ben? I don’t think so. Yes, he is passionate and he works hard but he is now able to control his emotions.

“Now, if he is hit for four, he will be frustrated but he will be able to understand what he has done wrong, or recognise that the batsman has played a good shot. It’s a huge stepping stone for him. The stage he’s reached is impressive. His game looks strong and he is confident.”

Morgan was genuinely surprised to learn that England were favourites for the tournament, even consulting an app mid-interview to check. He believes Australia and India are the teams to beat. Under Morgan, England have made considerable strides in white-ball cricket. They play the daring, assertive style of cricket the modern game demands, which for so many years they had been reluctant to embrace. Winning the Champions Trophy would be an important step, though the principal target is further in the future: the 2019 World Cup, which will also take place in this country.

“We’re not the best team in the world but we have all bases covered,” said Morgan, speaking at the launch of NatWest’s ‘Cricket has no boundaries’ campaign. “We bat all the way down to 11. We have a left-arm bowler, quick bowlers, guys who are reliable, a leg-spinner and off-spinner.

“I’ve never played in a side with such variety in the batting, with guys open-minded about doing different things. We’re all building towards the World Cup — but these guys need more games to be able to go into that tournament and say: ‘We’re favourites.’

“We don’t have as much experience as some of the other sides. We might play only about 40 one-day internationals between the Champions Trophy and the World Cup. It sounds a lot but it’s not. Other teams will play far more.

“So we need a squad of more than 20 players who we can pick from. That is where we are trying to get to but we’re still a strong side and contenders for the Champions Trophy. It’s cool that the bookies have us favourites.”

Since helping England lift the World Twenty20 title in 2010, Morgan has suffered. There were the near-misses in 2013 and 2016 and the appalling 2015 World Cup campaign, when England did not make the knockout stages.

Yet during that tournament, Morgan realised how he had to tackle the job, if given another chance.

England's summer starts here

One-day series v South Africa

1st ODI (May 24, 2pm) Headingley

2nd ODI (May 27, 11am) Ageas Bowl

3rd ODI (May 29, 11am) Lord’s

Champions Trophy opener

V Bangladesh (June 1, 10.30am) Kia Oval

All on Sky Sports 2

Now, he has a squad who back him and it was significant that when Morgan decided not to tour Bangladesh on security grounds, he did not lose respect among his players. He explained: “I learned so much about my captaincy in 2015 and I wrote in my notes what I would do if I had another opportunity.I am far more sure now that the team are behind me than I was then.

“Looking back, there were a lot of established senior players and as a captain, you’re not quite sure who you should be. You end up trying to satisfy everyone. I realise that I need to be myself, rather than the person someone else wants me to be. It is about trying to be as authentic and over time, you gain respect. I try to deal with people one on one as it’s a much easier way to learn where they’re at.

There are leaders who talk only to the group and say: ‘This is the way to do it’. That is a terrible way of going about it.

“What happened in 2013 and 2016 also teaches us that sport is unpredictable. It’s beautiful. That is why people are intrigued by it and why they love it.

“But we must remember that we won’t deserve to win anything until we’re over the line.”

Eoin Morgan was speaking during the launch of NatWest’s ‘Cricket has no boundaries’ campaign which celebrates the sport’s inclusivity. NatWest is the new Principal Partner of England Cricket having supported the game since 1981. Find out more at natwest.com/cricket #NoBoundaries​