IND vs ENG Tests: Michael Vaughan Calls Out England’s Overly Supportive Team Management Amid Poor Test Performances

Michael Vaughan expresses concern that England's current management has provided players with too much comfort, citing the rarity of player drops during Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's regime.

Ahead of India vs England 5th Test in Dharamsala from March 7 (Thursday), former England captain Michael Vaughan raises concerns about the England team's management, suggesting an excessive level of player support resulting in complacency.

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According to former England captain Michael Vaughan, the current management has provided players with too much comfort. The 48-year-old pointed out that Alex Lees was the sole player dropped during the reign of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. Lees featured in his last of 10 Tests against India at Edgbaston in Birmingham in the summer of 2022. Notably, England have lost the ongoing IND vs ENG Test series, with one Test still to go.

Vaughan expresses concern that the current England setup may be overly supportive, noting that under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's leadership, only one batsman, Alex Lees, has been dropped. He highlights that even this removal was notably mild in its execution.

"I do wonder, though, if this England setup takes backing a bit too far. Since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over, only one batsman has been dropped, and even that was the tamest dropping you will ever see. England inherited Alex Lees from the previous regime and gave him a crack, but always had their eye on Ben Duckett to open with Zak Crawley so simply moved Lees on at the end of their first summer,” Vaughan expressed in his column for The Telegraph.

Too Much Comfort Creates Complacency, Believes Vaughan

According to Michael Vaughan, achieving greatness in sports requires a defining moment where every player realises they are not indispensable. He emphasises that a sense of comfort and complacency arises when players feel too secure in their positions, potentially harming the team.

"Ultimately, on any sporting team’s road to greatness, you need a moment, a rod, where every player realises 'Wow, maybe I’m not part of the furniture'. As soon as people think they are part of the furniture it creates a bit of comfortable complacency, which can be damaging," adds Vaughan.

England's Batting Unit Struggles With Two-Innings Consistency In Test Cricket: Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan highlights that England's batting unit lacks consistency in both innings of Test cricket. While performing well in one inning, they tend to struggle in the other, ultimately affecting their ability to win against top teams. 

"Overall, as a batting unit England have seemed in need of a reminder that Test cricket is a two-innings game. They have consistently been batting well in one, then screwing up the other. Ultimately, the game is about winning and England are struggling to do that against the very best sides. This week, with some extra pressure on selection, they would do well to remember that," opines Vaughan.