Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged the current captain Joe Root and head coach-cum-selector, Chris Silverwood, to pick the best playing XI in the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand starting on Wednesday (June 2) at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
He also advised England to not think too much about Ashes 2021-2022 right now as its six months away, saying their first priority should be coming back to winnings ways after 1-3 thrashing at the hands of India earlier this year, and now they are also set to play a five-match Test series against the same opposition at home in August-September this year.
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For the coming Tests against New Zealand, England will be without the services of some of their key players like Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, and Jos Buttler – who all have been rested for the home series while Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes are recovering from their respective injuries.
Vaughan said on the Tuffers and Vaughan podcast: “Don't worry about six months' time, just try to win now, [England boss] Chris Silverwood just has to make the right call, and pick a team that can win. It was like a different game out in India, but when you are only seven Tests away from Ashes you just have to get back to winning ways.”
Meanwhile, England's rotation policy has often been criticized by many as Silverwood is forced to field a side without his star players to follow the policy, but Vaughan wants to the hosts play James Anderson and Stuart Broad together against New Zealand in the upcoming Test series.
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The commentator opined, “I would personally go for Anderson, Broad and Mark Wood this week, and Jack Leach - those are four bowlers I believe I can trust in all conditions. I've been very vocal in the last two years about not playing Anderson and Broad together and making sure that you are building.”
He signed off by saying, “But I am at the stage now, with seven Tests to go, where the building should have been done and it is now about getting a team to play and win so they get down to Australia with that winning mentality.”
England squad for New Zealand Tests –
Joe Root (C), James Anderson, Sam Billings, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood.
