LONDON: England should not change their team despite being “embarrassed” by Pakistan in the first two Tests, according to former captain Michael Vaughan.
With a victory target of 145 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, the world’s number one ranked Test side collapsed to 72 all out to hand Pakistan a 2-0 lead in their three-match series.
“Personally, I would not change the team,” Vaughan told the Sunday Telegraph. “We have seen two embarrassing failures. Give them one more chance knowing a Sri Lanka tour, played on similar positions, is next on the calendar.
“Dubai is one chance for these players to show they are good enough to get on the plane to Sri Lanka.”
England have one more Test against Pakistan and then travel to Sri Lanka in March.
Vaughan pointed the finger at England’s batsmen, who have failed miserably to cope with Pakistan’s spin bowlers Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rahman and Mohammad Hafeez.
“England have been embarrassed on this tour with the bat and you can point the finger at this team and say they don’t play cricket in the subcontinent at all well,” Vaughan said.
“That is difficult to take as a team which believes it is the best but even top sides lose when they only have two batsmen in the top six playing with authority.
“Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott are the only batsmen who look comfortable but they are not the kind of guys to dominate the game.
“They occupy the crease. The rest of the top six are struggling for technique, judgement, scoring options and, biggest of all, confidence.”
Vaughan said the likes of Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen needed to show strength of character before the third Test starts in Dubai but dismissed suggestions that captain Andrew Strauss was not justifying his place in the side.
“They can start by not hiding anymore and admitting they have a problem batting in the sub-continent on low, slow wickets,” Vaughan said.
“Andrew Strauss, is in a horrible position and that is a worry. He is such a good leader and a very strong man but now the team have started losing people have begun to look at his form and his average over the last year and a half.” (Agencies)