Eoin Morgan is out of England’s one-day international squad for the upcoming tour of India and his absence will be a huge blow to the side.

The 25-year-old Dublin-born batsman is one of the main batting stars of the England team across all formats of the game and his big-hitting style has earned him quite a reputation throughout world cricket.

He has recently had to go under the knife on a right shoulder injury and he has had a recovery period of 12 weeks predicted by ECB chief medical officer Dr Nick Peirce. Anyone looking at the cricket odds will be wondering if he can bounce back.

This means Morgan is out of the tour of India in October but hopefully he will be able to return in time for England’s trip to the UAE to take on Pakistan in January.
Morgan joins Stuart Broad in being ruled out of the return one-day series with India and that will allow some of the fringe players to stake their place for a starting shirt in future tours.

After securing their dominance of the Test game, England will now be looking to show their class in one-day and Twenty20 international games but it will be made a tougher prospect without those two stars and the cricket betting promotions reflect this.

Dr Peirce confirmed Morgan must undergo a “rehabilitation programme” for 12 weeks with a view of facing Pakistan.

“We have managed the injury to date with a conservative program but Eoin has now reached the stage where surgery is most appropriate progression of his treatment,” he added.

“The recovery period is anticipated to see him return to full fitness ahead of England’s tour of the UAE commencing in January.”

With Broad also ruled out of the Twenty20 games against the West Indies, England’s one-day captain Alistair Cook has said he wants to wear the skippers armband in those games, if selected among the squad.

Eoin Morgan’s shoulder injury has opened the door for perennial fringe-player Ravi Bopara to finally cement his place in England’s one-day side, something the all-rounder is desperate to do over the course of the remainder of this NatWest series against India. Bopara was called up to the England side following the news that Morgan will miss the remainder of the current series after a flare-up of an old shoulder problem. With Kevin Pietersen being rested for this series, Bopara was given the nod and is now looking to grasp his latest opportunity. Those following the cricket betting will be wondering how he’ll get on.

While the Essex man has racked up 61 ODI caps so far in his career, Bopara has never been able to feel like a permanent fixture in the side. Mixed form and niggling injuries seem to curtail his time in the England side and now the battle will be on for the 26-year-old to prove he is ready to perform consistently at the highest level.

The batsman made a quick-fire 24 from 20 deliveries in England’s seven wicket victory in Tuesday’s shortened match and will be hoping to keep his place for the remaining three games of the series. Bopara is well aware of just what an opportunity he has in the remainder of this series and is determined to do himself justice. People keeping track of the cricket betting news will know he faces a crucial couple of games.

“I’d like to play and fight for that spot. It’s a great chance to make it into the first XI and then perform and cement a place in the side.”

“It’s a great chance, with guys resting and a few injuries about. There is a great opportunity to cement my place, and take it game by game.”

Could things get any worse for India? After what was a humiliating test series, the twenty-20 international against England was the perfect opportunity to get things back on track. Having won the World Cup, it seemed that limited overs cricket, really was the game they were excelling at of late. But even that does not seem quite true.

Whether it is the fact that India have a crippling lack of confidence right now, or that England are on such a high that nothing can possibly go wrong, it is hard to pinpoint. Indeed, when the tourist set a target of 165 for England to chase, they were looking pretty comfortable.

Incredibly, England required ten runs off the final over, a repeat of the ODI meeting between the sides at the World Cup earlier this year. Back then, India were able to restrict their opposition to a draw, but this time, England were emphatic. Not content to hit just 10 runs, the finished with a flourish, taking 13 from the over.

Without doubt, that is the sign of a very confident, successful side – which England are right now. But India’s dramatic demise this summer must serve as a warning. After the 2005 Ashes win, England plummeted to a low point in their recent history, but must be wary not to allow that to happen again. If it does, they have much further to fall.

It is probably fair to say that one-day cricket is not as important to England as the test game – although, you’d never see Andrew Strauss and his men admit that. Nevertheless, the coming ODI series with India will still be very important to England.

The successes of test cricket will quickly be forgotten by fans if England fail to impress against India in the 50-over game. It seems quite unlikely that they will though, with India showing no sign of an imminent upturn in form, and the English looking far from a downward slide.

The feel good factor is so crucial in any sport, and it is hugely evident with the England team right now. Not only are they winning games, but they are winning them in style. They are quite simply taking

India to the cleaners, and for their fans, things really could not be better. An impressive one-day series now, and that feel good factor could continue to rise.

By William Taylor – A sports writer for CricketFanCast - Follow us on Twitter!

By William Taylor

To use an age old simile, India opened up like the Red Sea for England towards the end of the test series, this summer. But if the hosts think there is any chance of that happening again in the ODI series, they might just have another thing coming.

Paypal bookmakers note how India are a proud cricketing nation, and after taking time to reflect on the demolition they were the victims of, they will surely go into the coming set of matches in a more positive, hungry frame of mind.

Like a wounded animal, they could be more dangerous than ever – and if India decide to lash out, the consequences could be utterly devastating. There are some world class players in that squad, and with their egos undoubtedly dented, they will be looking to put a few things right.

One thing is true, they do not have the burden of ‘world’s best team’ hanging round their necks, and furthermore, they don’t have England sniffing behind them like baying hounds looking to overtake them. India are third in the ODI rankings, while England are still some way behind in fifth place.

Despite this not being a meeting of the world’s top two sides, it still has all the ingredients to be a hugely entertaining series of cricket. When the two met during the World Cup, one of the most exciting games imaginable occurred.

It was late February, and with India batting first, they surged to a huge total of 338, ably assisted by a magnificent century from the Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar. England’s batting frailties had been commented on before the series, and such a gargantuan target seemed an impossibility to chase down.

However, courageous as the lions on their chest, England batted magnificently as the raced towards the 50 over target. With ten overs remaining, the English needed just 67 runs, and at the rate they were going, it did not seem at all unachievable. But in a collapse so similar to those of India’s in the recently passed test series, they suddenly found themselves requiring 14 off the last over.

India were not helped when Ajmal Shahzad, a late replacement for Stuart Broad, launched his very first ball over the boundary. England found themselves requiring two to win off the final ball of the innings. Graeme Swann, however, smashed his cover drive straight towards a fielder, but the batsmen still managed to steal a single – enough to tie the game.

Going into this series, though, those over at Free Bet Finder note how the Indians have been dealt a huge blow, as Gautam Gambhir has been ruled out of the rest of the tour through injury. Hopefully it will not take the edge off what otherwise has promised to be a feast of cricket.