ENGLAND captain Eoin Morgan says there needs to be a “considerable amount of time” before Alex Hales is considered for international selection again.

Hales, 31, has not played for England since being dropped from the 50-over World Cup squad last summer because of an “off-field incident”.

Since then, Hales has starred in the Big Bash League – finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run scorer.

“There was a breakdown in trust between Alex and the team,” Morgan said.

“When he was deselected, it was never down to performance. He is one of the best players in the world.

“Moving forward, to regain that trust there needs to be a considerable amount of time.”

Nottinghamshire batsman Hales, who the Guardian reported failed a recreational drugs test in 2019, scored 576 runs for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash – Australia’s T20 franchise tournament – including six half-centuries.

He was the first pick in last year’s Caribbean Premier League draft and is one of the platinum selections in this year’s Pakistan Super League, where he will play for Karachi Kings. He is also a £100,000 local icon for Trent Rockets in this summer’s The Hundred.

However, Morgan, who was speaking to the Test Match Special podcast, said Hales was not considered for England’s white-ball matches in South Africa, which ended in a Twenty20 series win for the tourists in Centurion on Sunday.(BBC Sport).