Morgan expected to captain in India

National selector James Whitaker expects Eoin Morgan to return as captain of the England ODI side in India despite opting out of the tour of Bangladesh.

Morgan, England's ODI captain since the end of 2014, decided against travelling to Bangladesh due to security concerns. While Whitaker echoed the view of Andrew Strauss, England's director of cricket, in terming Morgan's view "disappointing" he also made it clear that it would not be held against him when it comes to future selection.

"Eoin has done exceptionally well as captain," Whitaker said. "Over the last couple of years he's established a really good leadership base. He's done a marvellous job.

"It's slightly disappointing that he's turned this opportunity down, but we expect him to be captain in India. At the same time, we'll review as we do after every series. Other people will come in and put pressure on those guys. And all I'll say is, I expect him to be captain in India."

While Jos Buttler has been appointed for the three ODIs in Bangladesh, he made it clear earlier this week that he viewed that as an "interim" appointment. "Eoin is very much captain of the England ODI team," he told ESPNcricinfo. "I fully expect him to take up the reins when he is available.

England have lost only one ODI this summer - and that in a dead rubber against Pakistan - winning series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the process and setting a new record ODI score. Morgan has generally been seen as a crucial part of their new, more positive approach.

Meanwhile, Whitaker also provided a strong hint that Ben Stokes will be vice-captain of the England ODI side in Bangladesh. Although an official vice-captain has yet to be named, it has become clear that there is great respect for Stokes' influence among the management with his absence seen as a crucial factor in England's poor performance in the final Test of the summer at The Oval.

"We haven't nominated a vice-captain yet," Whitaker said. "But Ben Stokes is taking a leading role more and more in both forms of the game.

"He is an astute reader of the game. And a very astute motivator of other players around him. But from official point of view, we haven't named one. Jos and Trevor will take a view, but Ben Stokes is a galvaniser of people and an astute reader of the game. He is taking a more leading role on that senior player group."

England are meanwhile confident that Alastair Cook will be available for the first Test in Bangladesh despite him returning to England to attend the birth of his second child.

Cook's wife, Alice, is due to give birth in the week starting October 10. So, while the rest of the England Test squad will travel to Bangladesh on October 9, Cook will go at the start of the month and gain some familiarity with the conditions.

While he is then expected to return to England as his Test colleagues arrive - and, as a consequence, miss the two warm-up games in Chittagong, to be played on October 14-15 and 15-16 - the England management are confident Cook will be back in time for the first Test on October 20, and has the experience to cope with the absence of warm-up games.

"He'll go out for a little bit of practice at the back-end of the one-day series, then come back home and then go out ready for the first Test," Whitaker told Sky Sports. "He's got a lot of experience, he'll figure it out. I'm sure he'll be ready for the first Test."