England head coach Trevor Bayliss has questioned the need for T20 internationals, suggesting they should be scrapped and only played in the six months before a T20 WC. The Australian's comments came after England were knocked out of the Trans-Tasman T20 Tri-Series despite beating New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday (February 18).

England's victory was their first of the group stage after three consecutive losses but it was not enough for them to qualify for the final against Australia at Eden Park next Wednesday (February 21). Shorn of four of their first choice players - Joe Root, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali all rested and Ben Stokes not considered - England struggled badly to show any sort of form until the final match.

Even then it wasn't enough as New Zealand scraped through thanks to a superior net run-rate and England have now won just five of their last 13 T20Is despite being finalists in the T20 WC in India in 2016. "I haven't changed my opinion - I wouldn't play T20 international cricket," Bayliss told Sky Sports. "If you want to play a World Cup every four years or so then maybe get the international teams to play six months before but I'd just let the franchises play."

It is not the first time Bayliss has made such a suggestion and it has merits. It would free up space in an already crowded calendar allowing players and coaches, many of whom are in danger of "blow out" according to Bayliss, more time off. Players would still be able to hone their T20 skills in the various tournaments around the world and the matches ahead of a T20 WC would become far more meaningful. Yet it is unlikely that national boards would countenance such a move given the revenue T20Is generate.

Because of the packed schedule, Bayliss believes that, in time, specialist T20 coaches for international teams will become commonplace. Kent's head coach Matt Walker has been part of England's coaching set-up for this tournament in part to give Bayliss' assistants Paul Farbrace and Paul Collingwood some time off after the Ashes and Ricky Ponting has also been used by Australia.

That type of T20 specialisation has already become a staple of playing squads. Australia's team is full of players who had been the pick of the recently concluded Big Bash. "It is quite obvious that [Australia's] players have all come out of two months of T20 cricket, whereas both New Zealand and England have been playing other forms or, as is the case for some of our guys, sitting at home," said Bayliss. "That was quite evident in the way that they played - they were up to speed with the T20 game."

England have specialists of their own and Adil Rashid, England's best bowler in Hamilton, has recently announced that he is foregoing red-ball cricket for Yorkshire this summer in order to concentrate on improving his white ball skills. At the time of the announcement, Rashid said Bayliss was "happy" with the decision and it is something which England's coach thinks will happen more and more.

"[Adil] was out of the Test team and wants to concentrate on his white-ball cricket," Bayliss said. "I think there will be more of those players - it's just the nature of the beast and the way world cricket is going. In swimming, you have a 1500m specialist and a 100m specialist. It's the way it seems to be heading - only the best players are able to play in all three formats so if some guys want to concentrate on one form, so be it."

England now look ahead to the five-match ODI series against New Zealand which starts next Sunday (February 25) back in Hamilton. The squad will be boosted by the arrival of Woakes, Moeen, Jonny Bairstow and Root, and captain Eoin Morgan will hope to build on their excellent 4-1 series victory over Australia last month. For the upcoming series, England will also have Ben Stokes available after he arrived in New Zealand on Friday following his court hearing last week.

Bayliss admitted he thought the first match "might be a bit early" for the all-rounder and was keen, half jokingly, to emphasise that Stokes couldn't be guaranteed a spot in the team after England's last series win. "Ben has fitted right back in and it only seems like yesterday that he went away," added Bayliss. "It will take a while for him to get up to speed and we will have to make a decision [about when to pick him]. We are just going to have to play it by ear."