Vaughan reveals exclusion

England captain Michael Vaughan has said that he felt excluded during the Test series in Australia last winter, which he could not play in due to his long-standing knee injury. He flew to Australia before the First Test in Brisbane, nominally to finish his rehabilitation from the latest operation at the ECB Cricket Academy in Perth. But in an interview with Guardian Unlimited he said he felt his experience of captaining the side to victory in the 2005 series could have helped a side which ended-up going down 5-0.

“A lot was spoken in the winter about me being involved,” he said. “I was never involved at all in the Ashes and I think we could have used me more. I’m an Ashes-winning captain with a huge amount of knowledge on a lot of things and I wasn’t used at all. It was made clear that I was to be kept away from the team, and I understood the reason, but there were times when I think I could have helped.”

He also added that, despite missing this week’s First Test against West Indies with a broken finger, he intended to be a part of the dressing-room alongside new coach Peter Moores. “I think it’s important with me potentially missing only one game that I’m around to form a relationship with Peter,” Vaughan said. “Obviously this is the start of a new regime and I think it’s crucial that I’m around just to get a feel for the new regime and the way it works.”

Andrew Strauss will lead the side onto the field in Vaughan’s absence.