Former England captain Nasser Hussain wants Eoin Morgan to deliver in a major tournament. The English team under captain Morgan has performed outstandingly. They have crushed big teams like India and with World Cup 2019 scheduled to be played on home soil, the England skipper will have to make up for the humiliation four years back.

“He’s an odd player. He’ll go through phases where he doesn’t score runs and he had his peaks and troughs,” said former England captain Hussain, speaking at the World Cup Trophy Tour Super Saturday event in Birmingham.

England was eliminated from World Cup 2015 in group stage under Eoin Morgan. Nasser is hopeful of a good show by Morgan this time, considering he has been good with the bat as well. “But his recent form has been excellent, which is important. Captaincy works better when you are scoring runs.

“One thing he would like to put to bed is his tournament play hasn’t been that good. He was given a hospital pass last time around, getting handed the captaincy just before the tournament and they didn’t change the selection too much, playing an old brand of cricket.

“That’s the one thing he would like to put to right. In a tournament, he would like to deliver.”

England has got its best chance to create history by winning their first 50-over World Cup this year. They have got some really eye-grabbing players on their side this year. “They’re right at the top and they deserve to be. They’ve played some magnificent cricket since the last World Cup,” Hussain added.

Hussain is impressed with Morgan as he never doubts himself. Sharing a story about the same, he said, “He’s (Morgan) been so cool, so calm, and we’d doubted him. There was a game at the Ageas Bowl where I was doing the presentation after England had been bowled out in under 50 overs.

“We had a couple of old fogy commentators saying how ridiculous it was, that the first rule of 50-over cricket was to bat your overs.

“I put that to Eoin and he was not having it at all. He never seems to doubt himself and when the captain isn’t doubting himself that filters down through the team - and the team don’t look like they’ve doubted the new style and brand of cricket. It’s almost become second nature to them.

“They’ve selected well, the right type of player, and they’ve been ahead of the curve.

“They have placed themselves in exactly the right position heading into the competition. They couldn’t be better placed. Now it’s just about performing.

“They were average in ODIs for a number of years but people now look at us and think that’s the right way to do it. I think Eoin should take a lot of credit for that.”

(With The Cricketer's Inputs)