Last Updated on 24 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
Harry Brook can be the next England captain but only under a new coach, says Michael Vaughan. In his latest column for The Telegraph, Vaughan wrote that Brook’s reckless 9-ball 21 on the fourth evening shows he is not captaincy material under this regime.
“Harry Brook’s innings was absolutely dreadful. Whose idea was it to send him in at four, to slog? Given the talent he has, and the record, he is selling himself so far short,” wrote Vaughan.
“There is no way that can be the last innings he plays before he takes over as Test captain.”
After Daryl Mitchell showed the way, England had no intention of knuckling down against a New Zealand attack that had injury concerns. It led to widespread criticism and calls for change of leadership after the team fell to their seventh defeat in nine Tests.
I’m more than happy for Harry Brook to be captain with another coach – Michael Vaughan
Ben Stokes’s retirement gives England another headache. They now need a new captain and there is growing speculation as to who will be tasked with role after Brook was overlooked at The Oval.
Vaughan wrote that the captaincy is the secondary issue. The former captain believes England need a new voice in the dressing room.
“Brook just cannot do that job if McCullum is still in charge,” wrote Vaughan. “It is yin and yin. You cannot have that. I am more than happy for Brook to do the job with someone else, but not McCullum. It would be chaos.”
In terms of the new coach, Vaughan says England should go back to Andy Flower, who has one of the great coaching CVs. Flower led England during a very successful period in the early 2010s, including series wins away in Australia and India.
“My preference would be for the ECB to go cap in hand to Andy Flower to run our team. Ideally all formats, but if it’s just Tests, that is fine too,” Vaughan wrote.
England’s next Test will be against Pakistan at Headingley which starts on August 19.
