Eoin Morgan has revealed that he would prefer to return to the England Test squad rather than continue to play in the Indian Premier League.
The 25-year-old lost his place in the Test team after a disappointing series against Pakistan earlier this year but he claims that he will not be following in the footsteps of his teammate Kevin Pietersen.
Pietersen has lost his place in all three squads with England after a public dispute regarding his relationship with Andre Strauss and his commitments to the IPL, but Morgan says that his focus is still the longer format of the game.
"The bigger picture for me is playing Test cricket," Morgan said. "As a 15-year-old I came across to England to play Test cricket. It's always been my priority. I've had a little sniff of it and I've absolutely loved it. I was in the side when we became number one and I was on the Ashes tour as a spare batter.
"Nothing can ever come close to the stuff you experience as a winning Test-match side. If it came about that I was back in the Test team during the IPL I'd be the happiest bloke in the world."
Morgan is expected to be in the side to face South Africa in the second ODI at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.
Callum Mulvihill
