Eoin Morgan: New gears, renewed confidence helped me negotiate bouncers after

“At the time it was quite concerning”, the captain said, “because the ball hit me hard”.

A rising short delivery from Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc struck Morgan on the head and he walked off the field and did not take part in the rest of the game.

Morgan said England, who failed to qualify for the quarter-finals in the 2015 World Cup, had progressed well since then, beating New Zealand 3-2 before losing to Australia by the same margin.

Morgan said he would continue to wear a protective helmet with a neck guard in the ODI series against Pakistan.

“I did that about three weeks ago, quite a lot of work in indoor schools on quicker surfaces – which hopefully prepares you for that event again”.

“It was a good delivery, I look back at it now and it was a good delivery”.

England are to play four ODI matches against Pakistan over the next nine days, starting with today’s fixture in Abu Dhabi, and Morgan is confident Buttler will perform at his best this series.

“It was worrying because the feelings that go with concussion are something I had never experienced before, and being in a position I’d never been in bothered me quite a lot”.

Eoin Morgan still recalls his week of worries after suffering concussion when he was hit on the helmet by a Mitchell Starc bouncer. White-ball cricket is something he prides himself on and in recent years he has been outstanding and he has shown glimpses of world-class ability. I’ve done a lot of short-ball practice since and I’m confident I’ve progressed in that manner.

In the wake of the Phillip Hughes tragedy in November 2014, Morgan had already switched helmets in mid-series, and had opted for a Masuri model, with additional protection around the neck.

Although his stock has fallen in the past six months, Buttler is still vice-captain of the 50-over team, an indication of how highly he is regarded within the England camp.

“I’ve since had scans on my head to have a mould for my own helmet, which I’m wearing now”.

“We could have probably done with a couple of extra days out here, just to get adjusted to the heat, coming from the cold back in England”, Willey said.

England could do with him returning as if never away, as they seek to hit back – as they did here three years ago – with limited-overs success, after their Test series defeat against Pakistan.

The team have only played one warm up match – a 169 run victory over Hong Kong – in preparation for the hot conditions that the series will be played under. “But I think the culture and the platform the summer gave us will hold us in good stead”.

“They’re always very challenging, a very capable side”. Only one member of their squad, Liam Plunkett, is over 30, and he may not get a game in Abu Dhabi.