Vaughan backs Morgan for captaincy as Cook and England fail again

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called for Alastair Cook to be sacked as skipper and replaced by Middlesex batsman Eoin Morgan.

Pressure is building on Cook from all angles after his side suffered a 95-run defeat to India in the second Test match of the series with calls from pundits in the media, in particular Vaughan,  for the 29-year-old to lose his job.

Following defeat at Lord’s, Cook, who has not scored a hundred in 27 Test innings, is 1/4 with Ladbrokes to still be in charge for the third Test at the Ageas Bowl.

But with England on a run of 10 straight Test matches without a victory calls for the captain to go are mounting with Cook 11/4 to not be in the job come next Sunday in Hampshire.

And with Vaughan publicly backing Morgan for the job Ladbrokes have made the left-hander 8/1 to be the next England captain.

“I’m going to bring in Eoin Morgan to bat at six and captain,” Vaughan said. “I think that would really help England attack the opposition.

“I want someone who has not been in this environment, with fresh eyes and a fresh approach.” Morgan has not played a Test match since February 2012 and averages just 30.43 in 16 matches but has had success as England’s stand-in ODI captain.

But with a place in the side not guaranteed for the Irish-born star England could turn to Ian Bell, who is the 2/1 favourite for the job.

Joe Root is 5/2 to get the top job, while Stuart Broad, who captained England at the World Twenty20, is a 3/1 shot the get the Test captaincy.

India are now 8/15 to claim the series victory after taking a 1-0 lead at Lord’s with three matches left to play.

England are 4/1 to produce a turnaround in their fortunes and claim a much needed series win with the draw available at 7/2.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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