MICHAEL VAUGHAN is planning to be in Australia throughout England’s defence of the Ashes won under his leadership last year, even though he is almost certain to play no part and will not be included in the 16-man touring party to be named on Tuesday, writes Simon Wilde.

Vaughan, who plans to fly out the week before the first Test in Brisbane starting on November 23, stresses he has no wish to distract the playing members of the squad. But if he does go to Australia, he risks criticism from some quarters for potentially invading the territory of the acting captain.

Vaughan, who underwent an operation on his right knee nine weeks ago, is targeting a return to action in club cricket in Perth — where England are planning to place several reserves — in the week of the second Test and has not given up hope of playing in the fourth and fifth matches. But he admits that despite retaining the tag of official captain, it is far from certain that he will return as leader if his successor does well Down Under.

“The rehab is going as well as possible and we’re looking at me batting (in the nets) in October,” he said. “The day I get on a plane to Australia will be the time people can start thinking I’m going to play cricket pretty soon, because I won’t go unless I’m about two or three weeks off playing.

“There’s a realistic chance I’ll be on a plane on November 17 and do 10 days of training around the first Test. I won’t train with the team because it’s important they just get on with it but I hope to use the likes of Matthew Maynard, the trainer and physio.

“Hopefully I’ll play some cricket in December. I’ll have to do that if I want to be available to play the one-day series (starting in January). If things go incredibly well, there’s a small chance I could play in the end of the Ashes, though if it’s 1-1 with two to play, I can’t see them saying ‘have a game’ when I won’t have played for 12 months. But who’s to say I won’t be able to tell them I’ve scored two hundreds in Perth and I’m available for selection? Whether I get back in, or come back in as captain, is for others to decide.

“I won’t go in and say, ‘I’ve won the Ashes, listen to me’, but I’m there to speak to anyone if they need advice. Andrew Strauss rings me regularly and I ring him and we pass ideas off each other. I don’t think anyone’s a wizard who can say, ‘This is the way to play’, because it’s all instinctive when you get out in the middle against a team like Australia. Plans can change every half-hour.”

Vaughan, who has been consulted by the selectors about the balance of the team, said he didn’t think it mattered greatly whether Strauss or Andrew Flintoff was named captain.

“I have every confidence that whoever they pick will do a good job. They probably need a bit of my experience of captaining against Australia, but I think they’ll be fine. I may be more help to the younger players, who are there for first time. I’ll be there if they want a coffee. Whoever gets the captaincy will do okay.

“I don’t think it has a huge effect because hopefully I’ll be coming back, but it will be a life-changing experience for whoever does it, because captaining in the Ashes is more intense than anything. Every decision will be analysed. Only time will tell how much I’ve been missed.

“It’s been a bad time for the team. Leadership is crucial. If you keep changing leader, it’s difficult for the side to know which way to react to situations. I think the same man has to lead for the Champions Trophy and the Ashes.”