WHEN one door closes, another one opens and I genuinely believe England have found a quality replacement for injured match-winner Eoin Morgan.

Ravi Bopara has his critics but he has all the attributes to be one of the stars of the World Cup. After all, he is one of the few English players to shine in the Indian Premier League.

This might be the break the Essex man needs to rediscover his mojo and stake his claim for Paul Collingwood’s middle-order spot in the Test team.

His stylish batting is well suited to the sub-Continent pitches and his bowling will be a useful weapon on Asia’s slow, low wickets.

We have seen in glimpses the talent that Bopara has, and now it is time for him to deliver on a consistent basis.

Whether it is finding the gaps for a quick single or hitting the ball out of the ground, the 25-year-old is suited to both. If he comes off, he is very much in a similar mould to Morgan.

He can take games by the scruff of the neck and he is calculating in his shot selection, allowing him to steer run chases or lay the foundations for match-winning totals.

The all-rounder might have had his technique exposed in the last home Ashes series, but he is a good enough player to go away and work on his faults and become the top batsman that his natural ability demands.

And a bit of fresh blood will do England no harm after their ridiculously long tour of Australia. Bopara can inject fresh confidence and believe into a mis-firing batting line-up.

The loss of Morgan looks, on first inspection, to be a dark cloud hanging over the team. But it could well turn out to be something of a silver lining if it propels Bopara back on to the big stage.