Vaughan Gets a Jolt on International Return

Michael Vaughan usually conveys the impression of effortless ease and at his noon press conference yesterday he looked thoroughly relaxed. However, that was before he learned that he would probably be without Matthew Hoggard for today's opening Test against India. He was out of sight by then but it was easy to imagine the color draining from his face.

Earlier he had been happy to play the part of the king returning from across the water to reclaim his throne after Paul Collingwood's dalliance with the one-day side. "I feel very refreshed," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing at Lord's. I missed the opening game of the season so I haven't played here for a couple of years.

"We know this will be a bigger challenge [than West Indies]. There will be a lot of support here and more exposure. This is a bigger series and a really big challenge to see whether we have moved forward from this winter, because that's where we're going to be judged when we play against a good side.

"We don't have [Steve] Harmison, [Andrew] Flintoff, Simon Jones or [Ashley] Giles, that great attack we had in 2005. But it's new and exciting and it will be a great challenge." Now, though, it will be newer than he would have wished and a considerably greater challenge.

Vaughan talked about having "good options to choose from", adding: "[Chris] Tremlett's bowling nicely with the bounce, Broady [Stuart Broad] got a five-for last weekend, Jimmy Anderson got a five-for in the Roses match and Matthew Hoggard is bowling all right but hasn't had many overs."

He even spoke wistfully about India's last visit to Britain in 2002, the summer in which his magnificent personal performances paved the way for his memorable tour of Australia. "India have a similar type of attack," said the 32-year-old batsman. "They're missing only Harbhajan [Singh]."

Of Collingwood replacing him as England's one-day captain, Vaughan admitted: "It was a big test. When I saw Colly lead them out in the Twenty20, [people asked] if I would feel any bitterness or resentment. I didn't feel any so I guess it's the right decision to move forward."