England may miss KP's best years - Morgan

The absence of Kevin Pietersen from the England team is "terribly sad" according to Eoin Morgan.

Morgan, who has captained the England limited-overs sides on several occasions, suggested Pietersen could have "his best years ahead of him" and said he would "love to be there playing cricket for England" with him.

"It's great having played with Kev and having in the team and learning from him," Morgan said.

"It's terribly sad that he's not in the team at the moment considering he's still so young and had potentially his best years still ahead of him.

"I would love to be out here playing cricket for England with Kevin Pietersen but the fact of the matter is he's not involved anymore."

While he accepted that Pietersen was not universally popular within the England camp, Morgan dismissed the importance of such factors and insisted it was more relevant that players performed on the pitch.

"Not everyone is popular in a cricket team," Morgan said. "Everyone individually commands respect through their performance and there is trust and relationships that you build.

"But that's absolutely fine. In every walk of life you make friends with people who other people aren't friends with. Was it awkward being friends with him? Certainly not."

When asked whether Pietersen's accusation of bullying within the England environment - a claim made in Pietersen's recent book - was fair, Morgan was non-committal. While admitting that he had yet to read the book - "I've heard it's brilliant," he said with a smile - he accepted that there were times when the bowlers' frustration with fielders had been obvious. But he insisted he "can't remember if it went too far or not."

"You're certainly aware of things like that particularly when you don't bowl and you're a specialist fielder," he said. "It's a difficult one because you have a bowler who had maybe been hit for four or a catch dropped and it's hard for him to disguise his emotion. There a bit of give and take with both sides.

"I can't remember if it went too far or not. The issue was raised and it was dealt with."

Morgan's words are significant not just because they suggest that Pietersen was not "disengaged" - to use Paul Downton's expression - from the entire team, but because it is quite possible that Morgan will be appointed permanent one-day captain within the next few months.

If England endure a poor World Cup - and they are hardly approaching it as one of the bookies' favourites - it would be no surprise if Alastair Cook stepped down and a successor found. Such a scenario just might offer a sliver of encouragement to those who harbour hopes of a Pietersen recall.