England, bewitched, bothered and bewildered, and only just about making up the numbers at this World Cup, are toying with the idea of sending an unchanged side into their crucial penultimate pool match tonight. The mantra of continuity has been a prized attribute of selection panels in recent times but this would be one of its more bizarre examples.

Having lost three out of four matches using the same eleven, and being yet again on the brink of early elimination, it would seem the height of misplaced optimism to try it again against Bangladesh. Considering the opposition and the fact that England are still runaway favourites to prevail, it would be to risk opprobrium of the highest order.

Perhaps Eoin Morgan, beleaguered captain of a side which has been hopelessly outclassed, was being coy. Perhaps he is merely the latest in a long, wearisome line of England captains who think that to reveal their team any more than a split second before the toss is tantamount to betraying state secrets.

“It is a big decision to change anyone in the side and it won’t be taken lightly,” Morgan said yesterday. “We are still two days before the game. Making any changes are big decisions. After any other win or loss we do look at the squad and see where we can improve it and guys who can come in and make an impact.”

Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Show all 10 1 /10 Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Usman Ghani, 18, Afghanistan At just over 18 years old, Ghani is the youngest player at the tournament, but the attacking opener already has an ODI century to his name. If the Aghans are to spring a shock, much will depend on him getting them off to a good start. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Pat Cummins, 21, Australia With his wonderful action and searing pace, Cummins burst onto the scene when he took seven wickets as an 18-year-old Test debutant against South Africa. Terrible injuries have prevented him from adding to his solitary Test cap, but now the stage is set for Cummins to re-establish himself as one of cricket's hottest talents. Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Mominul Haque, 23, Bangladesh A compact left-handed batsman, Haque will occupy the No.3 spot in the Bangladeshi batting order. He has already made 24 ODI appearances, but thus far has enjoyed more success in the longer format - in 12 Test appearances he has plundered almost 1200 runs at 63.05, with four centuries. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Jos Buttler, 24, England One of the genuine box-office talents in the England squad, Buttler's 121 against Sri Lanka last summer was the most eye-catching innings of the season. His keeping needs work, but as a mid- to lower-order batsman he has the talent to change the course of a game in the blink of the eye. Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Akshar Patel, 21, India One of the few positives of India's disastrous recent Tri-Series with Australia and England was the consistency of Patel, who was miserly and probing with his tight left-arm spin. He enjoyed a superb 2014 IPL season with 16 wickets and an economy rate of just 6.22 for Kings XI Punjab. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch George Dockrell, 22, Ireland Despite having been a mainstay of the Ireland side since his debut in 2010, and with four county seasons at Somerset under his belt, Dockrell is still only 22. The canny spinner was named the ICC Associate Player of the Year in 2012, and he has been touted to follow Eoin Morgan into England colours. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Kane Williamson, 24, New Zealand Williamson is the most consistent performer in a dangerous New Zealand batting line-up, his devastating recent form in all forms of cricket cementing his reputation as one of the most exciting, talented batsmen in world cricket. Having recently had his action cleared, he can now resume bowling his useful off-spin. Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Ahmed Shehzad, 23, Pakistan Despite his tender age, Shehzad boasts a wealth of experience, with over 50 ODI appearances and six centuries to his name. More of a classical, patient opener than a David Warner-esque pinch-hitter, he will lay the foundation from which Pakistan's big-hitting middle order can tee off. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Quinton de Kock, 22, South Africa Since making his debut just after his 20th birthday, De Kock has been an aggressive, punchy performer at the top of the South African order, plundering six hundreds in just 36 matches. A tidy gloveman, who by taking over keeping duties has allowed AB De Villiers to focus on his batting, to devastating effect. AFP/Getty Images Cricket World Cup 2015: 10 young players to watch Tendai Chatara, 23, Zimbabwe An athletic opening bowler with a curious, idiosyncratic action, Chatara takes the ball away from the right-hander at decent pace and is Zimbabwe's key strike bowler. His maiden Test five-wicket haul set up a famous victory over Pakistan in 2013. AFP/Getty Images

The player most obviously at risk is Gary Ballance, a surprising choice at the start of the tournament considering his lack of cricket in the three weeks before. He has scored 36 runs in four innings.

But after the miserable showing against Bangladesh it is difficult to see why the bowling attack should be retained en bloc, instead of being taken to the chopping block. Only Chris Woakes of the seamers has approached adequacy, Moeen Ali has been a serviceable spinner. But the whole urgently lacks versatility.

If Alex Hales does not come into the side now, it would difficult to imagine any circumstances in which he might be selected during this tournament. If fault cannot be admitted now when can it? He has had a slow beginning to his one-day international career but the selectors have been markedly, and strangely, reluctant to pick him.

Hales has been a rampaging international Twenty20 player and a prolific scorer in the longer one-day game at county level. There was a case, as Morgan conceded, for playing him all along.

“The decision we made to put Gary at three was huge decision and there wasn’t very much between them,” he said. “Gary got the nod. It was a feeling at the time and, if you’d gone with Halesy four games ago, a lot of people would agree with me in saying you wouldn’t have been surprised. People can be twice the player when they are not playing, particularly when someone else is not playing well.”

If Hales comes in he will bat at first drop behind Ian Bell and Moeen. He has batted twice there for England, in Sri Lanka late last year, but for Nottinghamshire since 2010. He is by trade, though, a blazing opener.

Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad, who were supposed to provide the cutting edge after returning from injury, have taken four wickets between them in four matches. Broad has not take any since the first match against Australia, Anderson’s solitary brace came against Scotland.