Should Michael Vaughan return to England’s team?

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain who emotionally resigned last year from the national team after a series defeat by South Africa, should return to the team for this summer's Ashes series, opines Ray Illingworth in the Guardian.

The way "Vaughan played in Australia in 2002-03," when he scored 633 runs in five Tests, "would get him into any side in the world. He is a different proposition now, but I think he's got his head cleared after appearing a little bit confused when he gave up the captaincy. He was obviously upset with that job, but if one of those appeals at Edgbaston last year that Graeme Smith survived had gone his way things might have been different."

Illingworth, a former England captain and coach surveys Vaughan's rivals for a spot in the team and isn't much impressed: "If someone had made the No3 position his own then that would be another reason not to recall him. Ian Bell looks a very good player when he's getting runs and is technically as good as anyone in the side, but he hasn't been doing the business consistently in Tests and I don't think his replacement, Owais Shah, is a good enough player in Test cricket, so there's definitely a vacancy."

For Illingworth, the gamble on Vaughan's batting ability can be gauged during the forthcoming series against the West Indies - "then we'll know whether he's ready for the Aussies." ·