Nasser Hussain hails Eoin Morgan as "England's most influential white-ball cricketer"

Morgan will confirm he is standing down as England skipper on Tuesday, ending a seven-year reign which took his side from the depths of international limited-overs cricket to becoming world champions

Nasser Hussain hailed Eoin Morgan as England's "most influential white-ball cricketer" after it emerged the 35-year-old is set to call time on his international career.

Morgan will confirm he is standing down as England skipper on Tuesday, ending a seven-year reign which took his side from the depths of international limited-overs cricket to becoming world champions.

Hussain paid tribute to the Middlesex man's contribution both with the bat and as a leader, saying his decision to step away will allow his successor Jos Buttler to get to grips with the role well in advance of this autumn's T20 World Cup.

"Eoin Morgan has been the most influential white-ball cricketer, white-ball captain that England have ever had," Hussain said on Sky Sports.

^{Eoin Morgan is stepping down as England captain [Getty Images]}

"He's been our best white-ball captain, he's been a fantastic player, and he gave us the best moment in English white-ball cricket.

"Of late, by his own high standards, he has been short of runs. He's also been short of fitness. And he will not want to happen to the next captain what happened to Morgan in 2015 in Australia, when he was given a hospital pass three months before the tournament.

"There's a World T20 in Australia in October-November, he wants to give whoever takes on the captaincy enough time to mould the side."

Under Morgan, England shed all inhibitions, and as a result became the most feared white-ball batting unit in international cricket. His team broke the men's ODI total record on three occasions - most recently in the Netherlands earlier this month - and changed the way the rest of the world has approached the 50-over game.

"This bloke was crystal clear on the direction of the team," Hussain said. "He viewed 50-over cricket as an extension of the 20-over game. Every single ball was an opportunity to score.

^{Morgan has changed the way English cricket approaches the white-ball game [Getty Images]}

"Not only did he change the culture of the squad of 15, all the way through English cricket we are now producing white-ball batters, from every county. That's probably another reason for him to stand down, he doesn't want to hold anyone back."

Another former England captain, Michael Atherton, was just as gushing in his praise for Morgan.

"He created a one-day dynasty. He took over at a low point and then decided it was time to change England's approach," he said.

"For seven years, England have been as good at white-ball cricket as anybody, and that's been the first time we could say that. He will go down as one of England's most significant captains."

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• Eoin Morgan to stand down as England white-ball captain