England will be the team to beat in next year’s World Cup: Michael Vaughan

Jos Buttler guided England to their second T20 World Cup crown after edging Pakistan in the final at the MCG. Following Buttler’s triumph, former English skipper Michael Vaughan reckoned that England are favourites for next year’s 50-over World Cup, and teams like India and Australia need to emulate the trendsetting English white-ball team.

England became the first and only men’s team to hold the 50-over WC title and T20 WC title at the same time after a historic night in Melbourne. England cricket’s renaissance started under the leadership of the recently retired Eoin Morgan following a lacklustre 2015 WC campaign. Morgan guided the Three Lions to their first-ever World Cup trophy in 2019.

The previous three editions of the World Cup have been won by the host nations and with next year’s WC set to take place in India, the Asian giants are billed as the favourites. However, Michael Vaughan feels it is ‘utter nonsense’ as England boast of a squad laden with quality spin bowlers which makes them the favourites.

“The next big ticket is to win the 50 over World Cup in India next year. They have good spin options and you have to put them down as favourites for that tournament as well. When the tournament starts people will have India as favourites on home soil. Utter nonsense. England will be the team to beat without any question and that is going to be the case for a few more years to come,” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph