England has managed to win just one match so far in the Cricket World Cup 2023.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan called for veteran all-rounders Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali to be dropped from the national team's playing XI for the remaining matches in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
Vaughan said that Stokes and Moeen look short in ODI cricket, and the time has come for the defending champions to show them the door. His comments came after England suffered a 100-run defeat against India at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on October 29 at the Cricket World Cup 2023.
It was England’s fifth consecutive defeat in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, as they are all but out of the semifinal race, having been placed at the bottom of the points table.
Moeen and Stokes, both, have not yet made any significant impact at CWC 2023, leading the ex-cricketer to call on the England team management to drop the duo to at least start the process of rebuilding a new ODI team.
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Michael Vaughan said on Cricbuzz: “Ben Stokes doesn't play. You have to make that call. If the English management knows that Ben is not going to be a part of the next World Cup, he shouldn't play. It's now time for a reset. It has to start in the next game. There is no point we have got three games in the World Cup. Moeen Ali looks short, and Ben Stokes looks short in 50-over cricket.”
Vaughan was surprised with Gus Atkinson’s exclusion from playing XI and suggested the England team to bring in Harry Brook for the rest of the matches at CWC 2023.
He explained, “Harry Brook should come in. Ben Stokes is not going to be playing in four years' time. So, you have to make that call. High-level sports is about being ruthless. It's not about the name or how powerful the players are.”
Vaughan signed off by saying, “England have got to use these next three games with the likes of Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, and Gus Atkinson. I still don't know why Gus Atkinson was dropped.”
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)