Last Updated on 2 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
Former England captain Michael Vaughan is impressed with the current attack, but warns them of tougher tests ahead, starting with South Africa away in December.
England are set for a comfortable 3-0 series win against Pakistan where they have barely been tested. Speaking to CricBlog, Vaughan spoke of where the team is currently at plus key selections for future series against the Proteas and Bangladesh.
Michael Vaughan interview: Promising signs for England, but can’t get too excited yet
On where England are currently…
Michael Vaughan: “I don’t think we’ll know until after South Africa. I don’t think we’ll know the impact of a more sensible approach, and it has been more sense in terms of selection, the way that they’ve batted at times.
“Clearly, Ollie Robinson was a great inclusion this summer. He was massively missed, his style of bowler, in the winter in Australia. So they got so many things wrong last year against India down the back end, and obviously in Australia, that I thought that they’d get that right against New Zealand. It wasn’t to be.
“Clearly, there was a bit of chaos around that series [against New Zealand], which we don’t really need to go back over, but from what I’ve seen in the series… look, Pakistan are no good, so it’s very hard to judge a team against that kind of quality. But I’m seeing a more sensible approach, and I think that’ll serve them better.
“And the challenge will be against South Africa. They’re a good team, and that’ll be a real good hardening challenge for the team. Because if you can come through that, and if you can win in South Africa before an Ashes series, I think it’ll go a long way to England winning next summer.
“If you get a bit of a drubbing in South Africa, we’ll be questioning one or two facets of the team. So I think at this stage for this team, they probably have wanted South Africa a series away… another one first and foremost [against another team] then South Africa away. They’ve got to go over there and, and play some good hard cricket. The bowling will get more challenged and the batters will get challenged a lot more so than we’ve seen over the last few weeks. But it’s been a good start for them.”
On the quality of the current England attack…
Michael Vaughan: “This attack will bowl teams out, you know, I have no question about that. They’ve got pace, angle change, consistency, keeper stood up tactic has obviously worked well for them.
“I just need to see them in hotter conditions against batting units that might challenge them. You go back to the Trent Bridge game against New Zealand where Ollie Robinson didn’t play but the others did and they got damaged, you know. So, we shouldn’t get too excited yet.
“But in terms of what I would want as a captain, this attack has got everything that I would want in terms of pace and a bit of intimidation, and obviously the skill of Robinson’s the key because he’s an incredible tone setter, but he will get challenged as well. It’s how he copes with an iffy game or someone that gets hold of him, or what’s he going to be like in the third and fourth spell coming back the next day.
“We’ll have to wait and see, but you can only beat what’s in front of you, and they’ve been ruthless in this series, and they’ve got to take that mentality into the bigger series that are going to be ahead… a little bit harder coming in South Africa and obviously the Ashes next year.
On where Jacob Bethell fits in the England team and where Emilio Gay stands…
Michael Vaughan: “I think Jacob [Bethell] comes back in for Jordan [Cox] at number three.
“Jordan’s a good player, he’s going to be around the team. I wouldn’t want to see Jordan at this stage move into an opening position. I don’t think he’s quite earned that right.
“Emilio’s got three half-centuries in six games in what has been quite tricky batting conditions, so I think it’s quite an easy selection. I think Jacob comes into three, Dan Lawrence stays at six, and you use your four quicks.
“I can see a bit of consistency starting to develop. I don’t think – for once – we’re going to be talking about too many people’s places in the side. They all have earned the right to get that start. It’s just how they cope with the conditions in South Africa.”
On who should be England’s number 1 spinner moving forward…
Michael Vaughan: “Well, you want your best spinner. The best spinner in the UK is Jack Leach. So Jack Leach should be on that [Bangladesh] tour [in early 2027].
“He’s the best spinner in the UK. You’re going to go and play in spinning conditions, you have your best spinner, and he’s the best spinner. He should be playing.
“No [not Shoaib Bashir]. Jack Leach should be good. Shoaib Bashir might be the second spinner, but from what I’ve seen of Dom Bess, he’s a better bowler now than he was, you know, so I wouldn’t rule out Dom Bess.
“So Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Dom Best, Jack Leach. But you need – if you’re going to play in spinning conditions, you want your best spinner. And at the minute, the best spinner in the UK is Jack Leach.”
Interview with Tawhid Qureshi for CricBlog. You can follow Tawhid here.
