'Unorthodox' Morgan picked for England Test squad

London, May 24 (ANI): Middlesex left-hander Eoin Morgan, who has been included in England's squad for the First Test against Bangladesh at Lords on Thursday, is ready to become a proper Test batsman as well as the world's most unorthodox one-day player.

Morgan was selected ahead of Michael Carberry and Ravi Bopara because the selectors believe his skill and fearless temperament can succeed in five-day cricket.

Yorkshire fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad is also in the 12-man squad while World Twenty20 winning captain Paul Collingwood and fast bowler Stuart Broad have been rested.

Morgan's first-class record for Middlesex last year was poor as he averaged just 24, but he has been chosen on potential. It will be interesting to see whether he unleashes some of his cack-handed strokes in Tests, The Sun reports.

Morgan said: "Every kid dreams of playing in an Ashes series and I'm no different. That would be phenomenal."

"With the confidence I have shown in the one-dayers, I think I have the mental game for Test cricket. I've never been in better form," he said.

Strauss said: "Eoin has demonstrated time and again that he is capable of playing on the big stage. He has a calm head in pressure situations."

ENGLAND SQUAD: Strauss (capt), Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Morgan, Prior (wkt), Bresnan, Swann, Finn, Shahzad, Anderson. (ANI)