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LONDON: Michael Vaughan has labelled questioning of Andrew Strauss's position as England Test captain “ridiculous”.
Opening batsman Strauss has had his position called into question by a run of just one hundred in his last 50 Test innings, leading to speculation about the Middlesex left-hander's place in the side ahead of next month's series opener against the West Indies at his Lord's home ground.
But former England captain Vaughan told the ESPNcricinfo website: “As a captain, it's ridiculous to talk about Strauss' position.”
However, Vaughan said the selectors could not wait indefinitely for Strauss to be back in the runs.
“What Strauss needs now is a score. He needs a big score.
“One hundred in 50 innings, he knows that; if he wasn't captain, he would be under serious threat.
“But there's more to his position in the side when you're the captain.
“If you're just judging someone purely on stats, you forget what they bring to the side. As a captain you bring a lot more to the side than the runs you score on the pitch.
“But there's no question that, in the series against the West Indies, he needs a big score or that problem will get bigger.”
Vaughan, who captained his country in 51 Tests and led England to Ashes glory in 2005, added: “You only get better as a captain – tactically and management wise.
“I'd be a better captain now than I was when I retired. You're more mature.
“You've seen more situations - and that's what captaincy is ... it's a man-management role.
“Strauss will know his returns are not great – and he will know when it's time to move on.
“But at the moment, the time is not right.
“He'll hope it's in Sydney in 2014 (after the Ashes) – that will be his dream – but one day he will wake up and say 'I've had enough.”
