"Left-handers are better suited to facing Jasprit Bumrah" - Michael Vaughan suggests England to change batting order for IND vs ENG Test series 2025

With Team India set to take on England next year, Michael Vaughan believes the Englishmen could tweak their batting line-up. Keeping in mind the threat Jasprit Bumrah possesses against the right-handers, Vaughan reckons England must have two left-handers in their top three, suggesting that Ben Stokes can move to number three.

Bumrah, the most accomplished pace bowler in world cricket at present, set the tone for Team India's crushing 295-run victory over Australia in the first of the five Tests in Perth. The right-arm speedster took eight wickets in the Test, including a fifer in the first innings to rattle the Australians.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, the 49-year-old wrote:

"I think that simple swap is perfect for the year England have coming up. In one Test in Australia, I’ve seen live why England need another left-hander in the top three. Jasprit Bumrah fizzily arcs the ball into the right-hander’s pads with the brand new ball, and caused absolute carnage for the likes of Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Left-handers are better suited to facing Bumrah."

Vaughan explained that having Stokes at number three will also benefit them in Australia, given it might force the hosts to bring Nathan Lyon earlier. He added:

"It would be handy to have Stokes at No 3 in Australia, too, because the extra left-hander might tempt Australia to use Nathan Lyon earlier, which in turn means the quicks are not bowling in the short window that the ball swings."

Stokes had a forgettable tour of Pakistan but struck form in the opening Test against New Zealand in Christchurch, hitting 80 in the only innings he batted in. The visiting skipper's knock was integral in England's eight-wicket victory.

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"Brook’s only weakness is when the ball spins big" - Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan. (Image Credits: Getty)

With England set to play India and Australia next year, Vaughan reckons Harry Brook doesn't need to change much and backs him to flourish against pace bowling. He added:

"Brook is very special, a wonderful player. He has that rare gift of total stillness, of making the ball look like it is coming down at 55mph, when it obviously isn’t. As we saw in Pakistan, Brook’s only weakness is when the ball spins big. In these conditions, and against pace more generally, he is superb. I don’t think he needs to change much, looking ahead to India and Australia. There are two areas I’d bowl to him – wide of off-stump and at his left shoulder."

England's next Test against New Zealand begins on December 6 in Wellington.