Eoin Morgan has hailed the influence of Kevin Pietersen as England prepare for their one-day international series against Australia.
Morgan will lead out an England side at Headingley tomorrow missing regular skipper Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, with all those players rested following the Ashes.
“Kev offers a hell of a lot as a senior player and as a batsman,” said Morgan. “He leads by example with the confidence in which he goes about his business. That rubs off on people and that’s crucial.
“When I first came into the team he was one of the more senior players and he was a guy you could turn to and ask difficult questions or have no hesitation in turning to for a positive option.
“In that regard I think he’s fantastic to have back in the squad for the one-day series.”
Pietersen (above) may be given the chance to open the batting for England, a role he has filled before in the 50-over game. With two new balls per innings, the role has become even more important.
Morgan said: “Kev’s opened the batting for England before and done well. It’s certainly an option.
“He also bats in the middle order as a very explosive player. He’s very versatile in that regard so we’ll be looking at both options.
“We’ve got a young, talented, exciting team playing in this series and it can be a stepping stone to the 2015 World Cup. We want to win that — it’s a huge goal of ours.”
