ECB will make Morgan pay if he doesn’t tour Bangladesh: Kevin Pietersen

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen believes that Eoin Morgan would be the one to pay in case he decided not to go on the tour to Bangladesh. At the moment, England’s Test skipper Alastair Cook seems ready for the tour, but, Morgan is having second thoughts about the same. Earlier in August, the ECB had sent in a delegation to inspect the security set aside for the England team when they do indeed tour.

Pietersen had also found himself in that situation once before when the terrorists had stormed into the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. He said that if the ECB deemed the venue to be safe, then the players would be expected to go. “I have sat in those security briefings and basically, you just get told what to do. It never really felt like much of a personal choice. The board tells you it is safe and the tour is going ahead. End of. The message is pretty clear: they expect you to go. “

“I can understand if some of the older players with families are reluctant to tour. Some of them might not fancy a month in Bangladesh, which is the most challenging tour of the field. The senior guys with a history of high-quality performances can probably risk their place on one trip.

In his column for the Telegraph, KP also added that the younger guys would not really have a choice but to go. “But the younger guys do not really have any choice. If for example, Alex Hales does not go then it is the end of his Test career. He does not have the runs in the bank to make such a choice and then walk back into the team. Someone will take his place and he will be gone. I suspect in the end they will all go.”

Also read – Our bowling line-up will be bit more patient and skilled: Dale Steyn

The 37-year old also added that he has seen a massive improvement in Bangladesh cricket over the years, stating that they would not be pushovers. “For Eoin, the one-day series will be tough. Bangladesh is no pushovers. Their spinners, on low, slow wickets, will be difficult. They beat England in Chittagong in the 2011 World Cup and in Adelaide last year. But perhaps a couple of tough games in Bangladesh will calm everyone down because there has been some hysterical nonsense said about this one-day team.”

“When Alastair Cook is willing to lead the Test squad it puts huge pressure on Eoin as captain of the one-day team. He may still decide not to make the trip, and it is his right to take that personal choice, but it will be held against him at some stage in the future, despite any assurances to the contrary. “When everyone else says they are willing to go why do you think you are more important than the others?” That will be the unsaid message.”