LONDON, June 30: England selectors will be considering during the next week who they will choose to replace Michael Vaughan as captain for the rest of the summer.

Thursday's announcement that Vaughan would have a fourth operation on his troublesome right knee on Monday, ruling him out for four to six months, has forced the selectors to consider an alternative captain.

Key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff filled in for Vaughan when he was forced out of the tour of India in March and also in the drawn home series against Sri Lanka.

But Flintoff has been forced to sit out the NatWest Series with ankle trouble and is by no means certain of being fit for the opening Test against Pakistan starting at Lord's on July 13.

In his absence Andrew Strauss has led a side decimated by injuries to four successive defeats against Sri Lanka, who are hoping to wrap up a 5-0 series whitewash in the final match at Headingley on Saturday.

The situation has given England a difficult decision and coach Duncan Fletcher said: “From my point of view I just want the best person for the team and we'll be deciding that before the first Test.”—AFP