England will be under the microscope like never before in the Ashes later this year, warns Michael Vaughan. 

The former captain believes Brendan McCullum’s side need to prepare themselves for a hostile media onslaught in Australia. 

He pointed out the reaction in Australia to the incident at the conclusion of England’s fourth Test draw with India, when Ben Stokes tried to offer a handshake to conclude the match before Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar completed their centuries.

“This is just an early sign that as we approach November and the Ashes, this series is going to be intense. If I were part of the England team, I’d prepare for the Aussie media’s scrutiny,” he noted.

He continued, “I hope they have some sort of psychological consultant to brief them, because when they reach Australia this time, cameras are going to be everywhere, so don’t expect to dodge attention—whether you’re on a golf course, out at a bar, or in the hotel.”

The Australian press has already started criticizing England following the incident at the end of the fourth Test against India, according to Michael Vaughan.

(L-R) David Lloyd, Alastair Cook, Andy Zaltzman, Phil Tufnell, and Michael Vaughan talked about the upcoming Ashes series on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show.

‘You know what they’re like in Australia. As soon as they walk through the airport, they’ll be straight in their face. 

‘The team have got to get ready, because they are going to write some stories and bring up some old pasts.’

Sir Alastair Cook then mentioned that intense media scrutiny could actually benefit England if they start strong and shift the pressure onto the hosts.

He said: ‘The media turn quite quickly on them, the Aussies. The one time we played well there, out of four, as soon as you get your noses ahead and you start playing well, they’re right on the Aussies’ backs.’

England brought in spinner Liam Dawson to replace the injured Shoaib Bashir but toiled and was unable to take crucial fourth-innings wickets. 

Cook said: ‘The problem for Liam Dawson is that he’s 35-years-old now, this is his DNA now – he’s been a brilliant one-day performer and a four-day performer for Hampshire.

‘The balance for England is that Dawson will offer a lot in the first innings in terms of control, runs, but when you’re desperate to bowl a side out, he’s probably not the man who’s going to bowl those jaffas.

‘As a tactical thing, for a captain or a selector, do you want to be conservative, he’s probably a conservative choice. He strengthens the batting and you’ve got control without someone who’s probably going to get you a 5fer.’

Liam Dawson was unable to make the difference for England in the fourth innings

And Phil Tuffnell was of the same mind, adding: ‘I felt a little bit sorry for Liam Dawson to get that pitch on his first Test in eight years.

‘In that first innings he did what he did – you need one or two and get yourself going. Three an over and it’s not bad, you’ve done all right.

‘But when you come to the second innings, with rough holes, left-handers, and all sorts of things, you’ve just got to be a little bit craftier.

‘It was just a bit predictable – he just sort of fired it in. You’ve got to try a little bit of oochkie, a bit of manoochkie.

‘I was a little bit disappointed, it was a slab, it was tough, and it was hard work. He’ll be disappointed because you’ve got to get your spinner to get you two or three, three or four in the second innings just to get you through and help the seamers.

‘I was a little bit disappointed – there was some rough there, but he didn’t quite get it in it. He was a bit full.’