England captain Eoin Morgan said Alex Hales’ actions showed 'complete disregard' for values his team had built in recent years and confirmed it was the senior players who wanted the batsman to play no part in their World Cup preparations.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dropped Hales from England’s preliminary World Cup squad after the Guardian reported the player had tested positive for recreational drugs.
Speaking ahead of England’s one-off One-dayer against Ireland, Morgan discussed the process by which Hales was removed from the squad.
“I spoke to the coach (Trevor Bayliss) at depth,” Morgan said. “I spoke to all of our senior players - I actually called the meeting with the senior players to discuss moving forward, how it would affect the team, and the team culture."
"We’ve been working extremely hard over the last 18 months to try and build that team culture and established values that we could adhere to."
“But with this Alex has clearly demonstrated a lack of respect for these values, and there has been a complete breakdown of trust between the team and Alex. Out of that meeting, everybody agreed that the best decision was for Alex to be de-selected.”
Hales was fined and suspended for his part in a nightclub altercation which also involved team mate Ben Stokes in 2017.
Morgan said the decision to remove Hales from the group had been reached after consulting with Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes at the team’s training camp in Cardiff last weekend.
“We will need at least 15 men to win that World Cup,” Morgan added.
“For whatever way Alex would have dealt with it, the other 14 people would have been dragged down and that would have been quite a weight taken forward, and that didn’t outweigh his performance.”
Morgan confirmed all-rounder Jofra Archer will make his much-anticipated England debut against Ireland, while Dawid Malan and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes will also feature for the first time.
Report on drugs ban led to Hales' removal from England squad: Giles
Batsman Alex Hales would still be part of England's World Cup squad if a news report had not revealed he had been suspended for recreational drug use, director of cricket Ashley Giles has said.
"The effect of that breaking has led us to where we are. If anyone thinks that is right or wrong, it is the way it had to be," Giles told the BBC.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have not stated reasons for Hales' removal.
Days after his selection for the World Cup, Nottinghamshire batsman Hales took an indefinite break from the game due to 'personal reasons'.
"When the team was selected, myself and chief executive Tom Harrison were aware of a situation, but were bound by a duty of confidentiality," former left-arm spinner Giles added.
"We were unable to share that with any of the key people in that environment."
Following his omission, Hales' management company said the ECB had assured their client that his suspension would not affect his World Cup hopes.
"There weren't assurances given on World Cup selection," Giles said. "To think myself and Tom have misled, hidden, U-turned or tried to sweep under the carpet is ridiculous."
"We were bound by a duty of confidentiality and maintained that. Unfortunately, someone else didn't and a story has broken about an off-the-field incident."
"Eoin was clear on what he wanted. The selectors were unanimous on the decision and fully supported by myself and Tom," Giles said.
