London: England have no hope of winning next year`s World Cup because of their "old-fashioned" approach to the one-day game, according to former spinner Graeme Swann.
Swann, who retired from international cricket during the 5-0 Ashes series defeat in Australia in December, believes the one-day team need to do away with the old guard in favour of exciting new talent if they are to succeed in the 50-over format.
Swann said captain Alastair Cook, who is set to lead the side at the 50-over tournament in Australia and New Zealand in February, should just concentrate on skippering the test team.
"We won`t win this World Cup," Swann, who took 104 wickets in 79 one-day internationals, told BBC radio on Monday.
"In four years` time, we might have a chance if we get in all the exciting players who have none of the baggage of the old-style brand we play.
"I used to sit in the changing room and always felt we were so far behind other teams because we play such an old-fashioned brand."
Cook, who has scored 2,967 ODI runs, should step aside and let Eoin Morgan lead the team, Swann said.
"I love Cookie dearly. "But I don`t think he should be bothering playing one-day cricket anymore. He doesn`t need to. He`s proved a very good point in test matches.
"He should just enjoy being England test captain. Let in the young people who just want to smash it everywhere.
"He`s not the guy who should be opening the batting in one-day cricket for England. (James) Vince should be doing it with (Alex) Hales in a young vibrant team with Morgan as captain."
Swann spoke after England`s opening one-day international of a five-match series against India was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Bristol due to heavy rain.
The match was due to see talented opener Alex Hales make his ODI debut for England. The 25-year-old is a regular in the country`s Twenty20 team and Swann believes his call up to the 50-over side is long overdue.
"Hales should have been in this side for two or three years," he said.
"He got 99 in a T20 international against West Indies at Trent Bridge. How did the powers-that-be not see that as the future of one-day opening bat?
"Cook, (Ian) Bell and (Gary) Ballance are not players who will win you a World Cup. Hales will, as will James Vince, Jason Roy, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler.
"They are players I wouldn`t want to bowl at. Players who could potentially get you 360/370 on the board."
England play India, world champions in the 50-over format of the game, in the second ODI of their series in Cardiff on Wednesday.
Reuters
First Published: Monday, August 25, 2014, 21:07
