In many ways, Michael Vaughan’s resignation as England’s Test captain is yet another sad, poignant moment in the continuing break up of THAT Ashes 2005 team. Vaughan’s inspired and superb captaincy during that series is the defining memory of his career and without a doubt what people will remember him best for.
His England career is not over. Not yet, anyway. Many players have stood down as captain and continued playing. Rahul Dravid of India and Stephen Fleming of New Zealand to name two. Vaughan says that he feels the best few years could still be ahead of him and one can only dream that this happens. At his best Vaughan is a scintillating batsman. Loaded with all the shots in the textbook, he plays his strokes with such elegance and technique that it is Vaughan in full stretch that you regularly see in slow motion on those Sky HD adverts.
However, this is the Vaughan in form and he has, in his own words, not been. His last hundred was against New Zealand in a tame draw at Lords in May and has followed that with a series of low scores against South Africa. With Vaughan you always feel that he is one innings away from finding form but this time, he has decided that his mind is not in the right place and has resigned the captaincy so as to not make his place in the team so automatic.
It is a very noble thing to do, giving up the captaincy of a national team on your own terms. Vaughan has clearly accepted that it is maybe not in the teams interests to remain at the helm and has responded as such. Whether this will actually benefit the team, who are in something of a transitional status, remains to be seen. With Kevin Pietersen being touted as the next captain, anything, it seems, is possible.
As is a return for Vaughan to the side. He has chosen not to appear in the series dead rubber at the Oval but will hope to be in contention for a return on the tours to India and the West Indies this winter. And, of course, there’s that delicious Ashes series coming next summer. Who wouldn’t bet on Vaughan playing and making the kind of scores he did that last time he played Australia as ’just a batsman’? For the record, he made scores of 183, 145 and 177.
That series was a definite highlight in Vaughan’s career so far. As was his comeback hundred at Leeds in May 2007. Vaughan had missed 18 months of international cricket due to injuries and there doubts about whether he would ever play again. Vaughan smashed 101 against an admittedly poor West Indian side but the hundred was a special moment. As was his 124 against India later on that summer, although that time the game ended in defeat for England. But for drama and excitement, nothing can beat the Ashes win in 2005. Vaughan had a relatively lean series with the bat but did manage the series high score with 166 at Old Trafford. Vaughan won praise for his inventive captaincy and the way he out thought the Australians.
Vaughan is statistically England’s most successful captain with 26 Test wins. Although he may be bowing out on a bit of a low, he will be fondly remembered as one of England’s great batsman of the last decade. And, you never know, there may be more to come. Rest in peace, Michael - you should be off to India in October.
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