Moeen Ali's performances during England's seven match One-Day international series in Sri Lanka have come in for praise from sections of the media reviewing the seven matches.
England were beaten 5-2 and will now return home for Christmas before flying out to Australia for a Tri-Nations Series with the host nation and India next month ahead of the ICC World Cup.
Moeen impressed after being preferred to Alex Hales in the opening role and also with the ball ahead of the selectors meeting on Friday to discuss the squad for the Tri-Nations and World Cup.
Both Scyld Berry of the Daily Telegraph and Richard Hobson of The Times gave the 27-year-old glowing reviews.
Berry gave Moeen nine marks out of 10 and wrote "To score at a rate of 123 per 100 balls and to concede at a rate of 74 per 100 balls is special.
"Moeen is England's best spinning ODI all-rounder ever."
Hobson gave Moeen eight marks out of 10 and wrote: "Has taken spectacularly to opening the innings. Began the series like no England opener since Marcus Trescothick but Sri Lanka soon detected a weakness against spin early in his innings.
"Bowled well and gave the side options."
England now have just eight matches – four warm-up games and four more ODIs before the opening World Cup match against Australia in Melbourne on February 14.
Their full itinerary is:
January 11 – Canberra – v Australian Capital Territory X1
January 14 – Canberra – v Prime Minister's X1
January 16 – Sydney – v Australia (Triangular Series TS)
January 20 – Brisbane v India (TS)
January 23 – Hobart – v Australia (TS)
January 30 – Perth – India (TS)
February 9 – Sydney – West Indies (World Cup warm up match)
February 11 – Sydney – Pakistan (World Cup warm up match)
February 14 – Melbourne – Australia (World Cup WC)
February 20 – Wellington – New Zealand (WC)
February 22 – Christchurch – Scotland (WC)
February 28 – Wellington – Sri Lanka (WC)
March 9 – Adelaide – Bangladesh (WC)
March 13 – Sydney – Afghanistan (WC)
March 18-29 – World Cup knockout stages
