LONDON: Alastair Cook is set to be dismissed as captain of England’s ODI team ahead of the World Cup after the opener’s miserable run of form, according to reports on Friday.

Cook has scored just one fifty in his last 22 ODI innings for England and he has paid the price for failing to stop the rot during his country’s recent 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka.

England’s selectors are reported to have decided to axe Cook as skipper at a meeting on Friday, with the Daily Telegraph saying Eoin Morgan is now set to lead the side for the tri-series in Australia after Christmas and then the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February-March.

After England’s series-ending defeat in Colombo on Tuesday, Cook, who hasn’t scored an ODI century since June 2012, conceded he could have no complaints if he lost the one-day captaincy.

But the decision to remove him from the role with the World Cup looming is still a major reversal by Paul Downton, the managing director of England cricket, and head coach Peter Moores, who have given Cook absolute backing this year.

Cook is expected to be able to continue captaining the Test side and will focus on England’s bid to regain the Ashes against Australia next year.

Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance is believed to be the leading contender to replace Cook in England’s 15-man World Cup squad, which will be announced on Saturday, with Moeen Ali and Alex Hales a potential new opening partnership.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2014