Graeme Swann has backed Ravi Bopara to become a fine England all-rounder following his record-breaking display against West Indies at the Oval.
Bopara took four wickets at a cost of just 10 runs - England's best bowling figures in a T20 international.
"Bopara was unplayable. He has good control these days and is developing into a fine all-rounder," said Swann, captain of England for the first time.
"He never looked like going for any runs out there - he was phenomenal."
England thrashed West Indies on the night, winning by 10 wickets after Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales led England beyond the modest target of 125 set by the tourists.
Swann was delighted to get off to a winning start as captain of a youthful England team that included three debutants.
"I enjoyed every moment of today," said Swann. "It was a dream start as captain. I asked the boys to give everything and they did that, I was delighted with the way everybody performed."
Bopara revealed that he was delighted but embarrassed at delivering record figures of 4-10.
"It feels quite embarrassing that I have the best figures when you've got the incredible bowlers we have in our team," he said.
"But I'm very proud to be a part of this team. We've got a very tough series coming up in India, which will test us.
"The way we've played this summer in England has been exceptional. To beat Sri Lanka and India - the two teams that contested the World Cup final - on our own turf is an unbelievable thing."
BBC Sport - Graeme Swann backs Ravi Bopara to shine as an all-rounder
Sorry but Swann should have kept his mouth shut. It was a T20 against a very ordinary West Indies side, I think that Bopara is "embarrassed" probably speaks volumes. Sorry but Hyatt, Bonner, Barnwell and Sammy his victims, three of whom I'd not heard of, Bonner making his debut and Hyatt and Barnwell making their third appearances in T20s.
Anything can happen when you're bowling 24 balls and the batsmen are trying to score at 7-8 or even more runs per over. Bopara the "all-rounder" has a bowling average of 5.20 in T20s, doesn't make him an all-rounder.
His ODI record with the ball is decent, 13 wkts @ 37.15 with a best of 4/38, but in 64 ODIs he's only bowled 95.5 overs at almost exactly nine balls per ODI and he's bowled in 27 out of those 64 ODIs. He's useful, one reason I hate ODIs is they make part-time bowlers look good and England are stupid enough to think that makes them an ODI bowler (a la Wright or Yardy)
Bopara needs to focus on his batting, there's no way I'd want him bowling 10 overs in an ODI regularly, definitely not in a World Cup knockout game and so he's never going to be a number seven - despite England batting him there and eight 21 times, maybe they ought to stop moving him up and down the order
Useful little bowler to have, but with England I'd rather they didn't have more bowling options so we muddle through the middle/muddle overs with Bopara et al not doing a lot. We should be aiming at having five bowlers in the ODI side who more often than not bowler all 10 overs.
Bopara took four wickets at a cost of just 10 runs - England's best bowling figures in a T20 international.
"Bopara was unplayable. He has good control these days and is developing into a fine all-rounder," said Swann, captain of England for the first time.
"He never looked like going for any runs out there - he was phenomenal."
England thrashed West Indies on the night, winning by 10 wickets after Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales led England beyond the modest target of 125 set by the tourists.
Swann was delighted to get off to a winning start as captain of a youthful England team that included three debutants.
"I enjoyed every moment of today," said Swann. "It was a dream start as captain. I asked the boys to give everything and they did that, I was delighted with the way everybody performed."
Bopara revealed that he was delighted but embarrassed at delivering record figures of 4-10.
"It feels quite embarrassing that I have the best figures when you've got the incredible bowlers we have in our team," he said.
"But I'm very proud to be a part of this team. We've got a very tough series coming up in India, which will test us.
"The way we've played this summer in England has been exceptional. To beat Sri Lanka and India - the two teams that contested the World Cup final - on our own turf is an unbelievable thing."
BBC Sport - Graeme Swann backs Ravi Bopara to shine as an all-rounder
Sorry but Swann should have kept his mouth shut. It was a T20 against a very ordinary West Indies side, I think that Bopara is "embarrassed" probably speaks volumes. Sorry but Hyatt, Bonner, Barnwell and Sammy his victims, three of whom I'd not heard of, Bonner making his debut and Hyatt and Barnwell making their third appearances in T20s.
Anything can happen when you're bowling 24 balls and the batsmen are trying to score at 7-8 or even more runs per over. Bopara the "all-rounder" has a bowling average of 5.20 in T20s, doesn't make him an all-rounder.
His ODI record with the ball is decent, 13 wkts @ 37.15 with a best of 4/38, but in 64 ODIs he's only bowled 95.5 overs at almost exactly nine balls per ODI and he's bowled in 27 out of those 64 ODIs. He's useful, one reason I hate ODIs is they make part-time bowlers look good and England are stupid enough to think that makes them an ODI bowler (a la Wright or Yardy)
Bopara needs to focus on his batting, there's no way I'd want him bowling 10 overs in an ODI regularly, definitely not in a World Cup knockout game and so he's never going to be a number seven - despite England batting him there and eight 21 times, maybe they ought to stop moving him up and down the order
Useful little bowler to have, but with England I'd rather they didn't have more bowling options so we muddle through the middle/muddle overs with Bopara et al not doing a lot. We should be aiming at having five bowlers in the ODI side who more often than not bowler all 10 overs.
