"That sends a strong message to the team" - Michael Vaughan reacts to England's brave selection calls in the Test squad

Michael Vaughan has offered his verdict on the daring selection calls made by English selectors in the Test squad to face the West Indies. The former England skipper observed that the team is trying to reduce their over-reliance on James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the future.

The 16-man squad for the three-Test series has four uncapped players, while the selection committee has axed eight cricketers from the Ashes team. Anderson and Broad, two of England's most successful Test bowlers, are amongst those axed as they hope to develop a fresh fast-bowling unit.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan admitted that high-class bowlers can become a hindrance and that there is a need to move forward. The 47-year old lauded the selectors for gaining clarity.

He wrote:

"Sometimes high-class senior bowlers can be an issue in the side. That's not saying they're not good people - they are - but you sometimes need to move forward. That sends a strong message to the team. I'm quite happy with the selection. They clearly feel that they need to move away from the pair."

Anderson and Broad, both of whom have more than 300 Test caps between them and over 1000 wickets, have shared the new-ball duties for more than ten years.

The veteran pair also performed admirably in the Ashes series in Australia; however, England's batting failures led to their defeat. While the selectors have omitted them, they acknowledged it's not the end for Anderson or Broad.

"England want to build a new culture" - Michael Vaughan

James Anderson and Stuart Broad. (Credits: Getty)

Vaughan further claimed that England felt the requirement to usher in a new era to revive their Test fortunes, triggering their decision to omit the elite bowling pair. The cricketer-turned-commentator added:

"England want to build a new culture. That's what has led them to the huge decision to drop Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad from the squad to the West Indies. They're trying to create a culture away from Broad and Anderson."

England lost the five-match T20 series to the West Indies narrowly; hence, they will be keen to win in the longest format. The Caribbeans, currently in India to play limited-overs cricket, will host England for Tests in March. The first Test begins on the 8th of March at North Sound.