England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan has officially retired from international cricket, but the 35-year-old is planning to continue his playing career.
Morgan will continue to represent Middlesex, the county he has played for since 2005, and will captain London Spirit in The Hundred this summer. "To what lies ahead for me, I will continue to enjoy playing at a domestic level while I can," he said.
"I'm really looking forward to playing and captaining London Spirit in the second edition of The Hundred this year." Morgan also said he will no longer be part of the England white-ball set-up to allow new coach Matthew Mott and his successor as captain to put their own stamp on the team ahead of this year's T20 World Cup.
"I think at the moment the best thing for the set-up is for me to come out of it, let the new captain find his feet, build a relationship with the new coach and ultimately drive towards the next World Cups," Morgan told Sky Sports News.
"They come thick and fast and the potential the team has is unbelievable. I'm incredibly grateful and lucky to be part of such a special time in English cricket, but what's to come I think could be even more special."
Morgan will be part of the Sky Sports cricket team this summer, working on their coverage of England's upcoming white-ball fixtures against India and South Africa. He also admitted he could be interested in coaching England one day, having seen close friend Brendon McCullum become England's Test coach.
"I've certainly not ruled it out," he added . "Certainly down the line I do think I have something to offer, but I think picking and choosing what that role is and what it looks like will be the most important part.
Jos Buttler is widely expected to replace him as England's white-ball captain and Morgan has backed him to be a success. "He's done it before, on tours that I've missed or been injured for," he said.
"He's come straight in and that is a true test of how you hold the weight of each and every decision and how it impacts your performance. The evidence is there that it has never affected Jos.
"Jos has been in charge, he's been an unbelievable good vice-captain while I've been captain, and when he's stepped in he's been an exceptional leader. He obviously commands himself with the bat as one of the best players in the world, but also as a leader within the group he commands tremendous respect."
