Settled line-up or experimentation - Morgan opts for balance

In the lead-up to a major tournament, weighing up competing priorities in selection can be tricky for teams to get right. There is a balance to be struck after all. Winning is important but it is not everything in the months before a World Cup. Learning about different players is vital to build a well-rounded squad. Experimenting with who does what and when clearly has benefits in building a range of multi-faceted players. Then again, regularly selecting a settled team, allowing players to understand and groove their roles so that when showtime comes, they know exactly what to do, has its merits as well. It is a delicate balance to strike.

With less than a year to go ahead of next year's T20 World Cup in India, England are in an interesting phase of their development. It might have been thought that now was the time to identify a combination and stick with it until the tournament itself, allowing the team to build up a body of success and confidence together as the 50-over side did in the lead up to last summer's World Cup. Instead, England are charting a slightly different course for next year's T20 edition.

By captain Eoin Morgan's own admission, they are trying to build that sort of winning momentum. Yet they are also still trying to learn about various players and settle on the best roles for the individuals at their disposal. Morgan admits he does not yet know his best eleven in T20 cricket. He currently thinks there are "seven or eight" strong candidates for that best team and is looking forward to the series