Vaughan questions England's decision to open with Dan Lawrence against Sri Lanka

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Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan has expressed scepticism over England's decision to have Dan Lawrence open the innings in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. 

Vaughan believes that the all-rounder, traditionally a middle-order batter, is unsuited for the opening position and that this choice may not be in the team's best interest.

As the series approaches, England faces several challenges, including injuries to key players. Notably, opening batter Zak Crawley has been ruled out, leaving a vacancy at the top of the order alongside Ben Duckett. This development has paved the way for Dan Lawrence to make a return to the team.

Lawrence, who has played 11 Tests with a top score of 91, is more accustomed to batting in the middle order. Opening the innings will present a new challenge for the all-rounder, who has occasionally filled in as an opener but lacks extensive experience in that role.

In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan elaborated on his concerns: "When Zak Crawley was ruled out injured, I was not surprised England chose to throw in Dan Lawrence to open against Sri Lanka, despite that not being his usual batting position. Nevertheless, I do not think picking Lawrence to open is the right decision. He is a really good middle-order batsman and has waited patiently for a spot to become available in the team over the past couple of years.” 

“He has batted at No 3 for England and county level and has occasionally filled in as an opener. I just do not see him as a Test opening bat and I believe that while the game changes all the time, that remains a specialist position, particularly in England, and is worthy of respect. Let’s be clear," he added.

The former cricketer emphasized that the role of an opener requires a specialist skill set, particularly in England, where conditions often demand a strong defensive technique. He further questioned whether Lawrence, who might succeed against Sri Lanka, could replicate that success against stronger teams like India and Australia.

“But sometimes things can go too far in one direction, and I fear this could be one such occasion. It is another example of England seeming to prioritise personality as much as playing ability in specific roles, Lawrence will probably have his moments in this series, but will it tell us that he can do it against the very best attacks? I am not sure. Against India next summer or Australia the following winter, they need a specialist opener with a really strong foundation in defense," Vaughan concluded.

England is set to host Sri Lanka for a three-match Test series, with the first game scheduled for August 21 in Manchester. The second Test will take place on August 29, followed by the final match at The Oval on September 6. 

England Squad: Ollie Pope (C), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.