Vaughan not rushing back

England’s captain, Michael Vaughan, has said he is making progress in his recovery from his knee injury, but is not likely to feature in the first Test of the summer against Sri Lanka on 11th May.

Vaughan, who had to have surgery on his troublesome right knee, which forced him home from England’s tour of India in February, insisted that he will only come back to lead England when he is ready

“I’m just trying to tick all the right boxes during my rehab. I’ll play when the knee’s ready, not when the schedule suggests,” said Vaughan.

“It’s important I do get it right and once I do start playing again, it’s not just for a short period but hopefully for a long time.

“I’m deep into rehab spending hours in the gym. The most frustrating thing is that you’re doing two or three good weeks and then you have a setback and then another good week and another setback. The problem is the knee had been giving way. It’s not as bad as it was but it still happens.”

David Byas, Yorkshire’s Director of cricket, announced to the Yorkshire Post “Michael still has some way to go before returning to action but is getting stronger and stronger by the day. Progress is being made, albeit gradual progress, and neither ourselves nor England are putting him under pressure.”

With England playing 7 Tests, 10 One Day Internationals and 2 Twenty/20 internationals this summer, followed by the Ashes in Australia and the World Cup in the West Indies, England’s schedule over the next 12 months is hectic and it is important that Vaughan is fit.