U-TURN: Michael Vaughan (left) and Alastair Cook.

AFP/London

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has admitted he was wrong to call for Alastair Cook to step down as skipper of the national side.

Vaughan was one of several ex-England captains who called for Cook to stand down following England’s 95-run second Test defeat by India at Lord’s three weeks ago.

Indeed, Vaughan even went so far as to suggest opening batsman Cook should take a six-month break from all cricket in order to feel refreshed and rediscover his run-scoring touch ahead of a packed programme next year.

But with England recovering to lead the five-match series 2-1, with this week’s final Test at The Oval to come, after wins at Southampton and Old Trafford, Vaughan was willing to admit he had made a mistake.

“No question, I was wrong,” Vaughan said on BBC Radio Five’s the Tuffers and Vaughan Cricket Show yesterday.

“Two and a half weeks ago, I said a break would’ve done him good. But the England and Wales Cricket Board stood by him, he was strong and said: ‘I’m the man to carry this young team forward’,” added Vaughan, who led England to Ashes glory in 2005.

Cook found his form with innings of 95 and 70 not out at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. However, he should have been out in the first innings for 15 only for Ravindra Jadeja to drop a seemingly regulation slip catch, an error Vaughan said had been pivotal in the current campaign.

“I think that one catch is the real twist of the whole series. If Jadeja had caught Cook on 15, I really felt at that time, it would’ve been a disaster for the side.”