The retirement of Paul Collingwood from Test cricket opened up a place in England's batting order. Morgan and Ravi Bopara were the leading contenders for the position; while Bopara stayed in England to play county cricket, Morgan chose to play in the IPL for six weeks. In nine innings for Kolkata Knight Riders Morgan scored 137 runs with a highest score of 66. His first first-class innings of the English season was in a match for the England Lions against the touring Sri Lankans alongside batsmen competing to the vacant place in England's batting line up. He scored 193 and according to the national selector it was enough to secure his selection for the squad to face Sri Lanka in first Test against Sri Lanka in May.