Michael Vaughan: England should secure Champions Trophy spot for next generation

England

Michael Vaughan has urged England’s World Cup squad to leave a farewell present for the next generation by securing a place at the Champions Trophy.

Major changes are expected at the end of the desperately-disappointing campaign for the reigning champions, with a host of big-name veterans likely to depart the ODI scene, but there is still one more job to do.

Victory over the Netherlands in Pune ended a five-game losing streak and put England back in the frame for the top-eight finish they need to book a spot at the format’s next global event in 2025.

Semi-final hopefuls Pakistan await in Kolkata on Saturday and former captain Vaughan believes England’s men in possession must do everything they can to pave the way for those who will take the team forward.

“This team needs to be reset. Younger players need to come into it and there’s many of old guys, the 2019 World Cup winners that will probably get moved on,” he told BBC Sport’s Test Match Special.

“It’s their duty as a set of players in this World Cup, they’ve got to give the next generation a Champions Trophy in 2025.

“That four-year cycle is so important. When you’re resetting and developing a team, you need that tournament mentality to test your skills, test players within it, test the different roles.

“It’s so important this team wins on Saturday, gets to six points and gets into the Champions Trophy. It’s pivotal.”

The renewal of the side will begin in haste, with a white-ball tour of the West Indies in December and a fresh roster of faces set to get the call.

Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed is one player Vaughan wants England to build around.
Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed is one player Vaughan wants England to build around (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Vaughan picked out a handful of names he expects to be in that group and wants England to keep them together for an extended period with a view to the next World Cup in 2027.

“We’re not going to see a complete overhaul but many players are going to come in, Ben Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Phil Salt….they deserve the chance that the team had in 2015.

“There was a four-year cycle where they stuck with a load of aggressive players and they played together for pretty much 80-odd games. They arrived in 2019 with fully defined roles and that’s what the next set needs.”

Michael Vaughan Rehan Ahmed

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