'... he shouldn't play' - Former England skipper Michael Vaughan urges England to drop star allrounder from remaining World Cup matches

After facing a humiliating defeat against India in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, the England cricket team is facing huge criticism. The defending champions have lost five out of their first six games and are on the verge of elimination from the ongoing tournament. Adding to their concern, the team is currently in 10th place in the points table, and if they fail to finish in the top 7, they will lose the opportunity to play in the Champions Trophy 2025 too.

Amid the ongoing troubles, former England skipper Michael Vaughan came up with a request for the English team management. Vaughan asked England to drop star all-rounder Ben Stokes from the squad and play young guns to prepare for the future. He also said that Stokes is not going to play in the ODI World Cup four years later.

While speaking with Cricbuzz, he said, "Ben Stokes doesn't play. You have to make that call. If the English management knows that Ben is not going to be a part of the next ODI World Cup, he shouldn't play. Harry Brook should come in. Ben Stokes is not going to be playing in four years' time. So, you have to make that call. High-level sports are about being ruthless. It's not about the name or how powerful the players are."

"It's now time for a reset", says Michael Vaughan

Further speaking about the future of English cricket, Vaughan said that the team now needs to think beyond the ongoing tournament. He also said that the time for a revamp has come. "It's now time for a reset. It has to start in the next game. There is no point in having three games in the World Cup. Moeen Ali looks short, and Ben Stokes looks short in 50-over cricket", says Michael Vaughan.

Further questioning the reason behind dropping Gus Atkinson, Vaughan said, "England has got to use these next three games with the likes of Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, and Gus Atkinson. I still don't know why Gus Atkinson was dropped." It's worth noting that in the last three games, the English batters have failed to score 200 or more runs. In the last four games, just a single half-century has been scored by Harry Brook, who is currently sitting out of the playing XI.