LONDON, (Reuters) – Former captain Michael Vaughan expects he will have to regain his place in the England team by next month if he is to make the Ashes squad.
Vaughan, who was named in England’s 25-man performance squad yesterday, said the selectors will have settled on their side to face Australia in July by the time the test series against West Indies begins on May 6.
“They will pick the team for the first test against the West Indies with one eye on the Ashes,” said Vaughan, who was playing for the MCC against Durham at Lord’s yesterday.
“I would very much expect the side that is picked for that to be the same one that takes on Australia in the first Ashes test. Hopefully, I will be part of it,” he told Reuters.
Vaughan has not been involved in international cricket since resigning as England captain last August, after his side had lost the test series to South Africa.
Having spent the close season training with his county team Yorkshire, the 34-year-old said he had put that disappointment behind him and was ready to return to the England team.
“I really enjoyed being away from international cricket,” said Vaughan, who has played in 82 test matches. “I just needed that break, spending time on my own and time with Yorkshire, who are great bunch of guys.
“Now I feel refreshed and ready. I’m in the right kind of mind and form to go out and play for England again.”
Vaughan is most likely to be in contention for the problematic number three slot on the England batting card, with Ian Bell dropped from that position over the winter and Owais Shah having failed to make an impact in his place.
Vaughan impressed playing at number three for Yorkshire in pre-season games in Abu Dhabi, scoring 115 and 46 in matches against Surrey and Middlesex respectively, but he knows he must reproduce that form in competitive matches to regain his England place.
“I played nicely in Abu Dhabi but that was in different conditions [to England],” he said. “Besides that’s not how I judge my form. It’s all about [county] games now. All I can do is look to play to the best of my ability and see where that takes me.”