Eoin Morgan will bring back Joe Root for the T20 World Cup: David Lloyd
David Lloyd believes Joe Root will play a vital role for England in the upcoming T20 World Cup despite not playing in the ongoing T20I series against India.
Lloyd backed England's white-ball skipper Eoin Morgan to recall Root to the T20I setup when they pick their squad for the mega event, which will be held in India later this year.
The former England cricketer, who feels Root is the country's best player of spin, opines that the visitors are being smart in resting their Test skipper.
David Lloyd wrote in his column for the Daily Mail:
"Joe Root hasn’t played T20 for England for almost two years, but I would bring him back for the tournament in India in October, and I believe Eoin Morgan will do that. Root is England’s best player of spin — he’s inventive, particularly on the sweep, and his bowling would be invaluable in this side, as it was at the last T20 World Cup in India in 2016. "
Lloyd further added in this regard:
"Joe has a massive workload, and it’s only right he’s being rested now. But I think England are boxing clever by keeping him up their sleeve for now and will bring him back later this year when conditions will suit him just as much as their power hitters."
It will be interesting to see how England will fit Joe Root in their playing XI as they seem to have a settled top-order in T20Is. In 32 T20Is, the right-handed batsman averages almost 36, scoring runs at a strike rate of 126.30.
David Lloyd's concern over having Joe Root in England's T20 World Cup squad
Although David Lloyd is keen to have Joe Root in England's T20I World Cup squad, he acknowledged that it would hamper their preparations for the Ashes, which will take place in November.
"My one concern is the end of the World Cup overlapping with the build-up to the Ashes in November, and if Root is involved in India, his Test team will have to begin preparations without him," Lloyd added
It remains to be seen whether the English team management will prioritize the Ashes over the T20 World Cup. England currently lead the five-match series against India by a 2-1 margin, with the fourth game set to be played on Thursday.