Former England captain Michael Vaughan while in conversation with Phil Tufnell and Liam Plunkett during the Tuffers and Vaughan podcast said that the World Cup winning bowler was given a very raw deal by the team management.
Plunkett, who played a crucial role in the World Cup winning campaign, has since found himself on the sidelines and said what particularly hurt him was finding out about his exclusion from Twitter.
It is the lack of communication that did not sit well with Vaughan who explained there is no place for such incidents in today’s times.
“He had to find that [news of omission] out through Twitter – I’m sorry, that’s back in your day, Phil. That doesn’t happen in this era of cricket, that’s a disgrace.”
The former captian, who’s most famous moment was winning the Ashes in 2005, put his weight behind Plunkett calling him the England fittest player. Vaughan said he found it surprising that he had been left out of the recently announced 55-man squad comprising players in consideration ahead of the potential return of international cricket after the Covid-19-enforced break.
“I can’t understand it. I know people are looking to go forward, you got to always think about four years time … [but he’s] experienced, played all around the world, was the go-to guy for Eoin Morgan in that World Cup, can bat as well, great team member – I can’t quite see it.
“If [Plunkett] does go on to perhaps get his coaching badges … I think he’ll be a great man to have knocking around in English cricket, for sure. All that experience, and you need a certain type of bowler in those situations, Mike, don’t you? Someone who enjoys having the ball at those pressure times. And Liam’s always come up done that.”
England will resume international cricket with the three-Test match series at home and behind closed doors against West Indies in July, subject to governments agreeing.
