Vaughan calls for Strauss break

Michael Vaughan has called for England to rest Andrew Strauss for next year's tour of Bangladesh to ensure against burn-out before another packed home season. Vaughan said cricket's administrators should "look at playing a little bit less, and making the product that much better" in order to ease the workload on players.

"This needs to be addressed now. Andrew Strauss should be rested for that trip, as should Paul Collingwood, as should Jimmy Anderson," he told the Guardian. "They should announce it now because until they do, if the South Africa series goes wrong, then I guarantee that Strauss, Anderson, Collingwood will end up going to Bangladesh. I know what will happen. I've been in the job and I know what happens with the England selectors and I know what happens with the England team."

Strauss has already clarified that the situation would be assessed when England return from South Africa in January but Vaughan said the ECB had to decide now. "We might lose in South Africa, we might lose heavily. Then everyone will start to worry about their position in the team, about young guys coming in. They will know that whoever you put in the team for Bangladesh should do well, so the players will start to get a little bit frightened about their position in the side.

"The selectors will say, 'We must start winning again' ahead of the next Ashes. England have got to let the players know they're being rested now so that if the South Africa series doesn't go the way we want it to there is not a mass call for these guys to go Bangladesh."

During the seven-match ODI that followed the Ashes this summer, Collingwood said he felt his body was "shutting down" as various injuries started to catch up with him, and some England players even told the Professional Cricketers' Association of their feelings. Having been rested during the ODIs against Australia, Collingwood did well in the ICC Champions Trophy before picking up an injury in the semi-final that ruled him out of the Champions League Twenty20.

"He [Collingwood] came back and started believing in himself again," Vaughan said. "He had a fresher mind. He needed to recharge his batteries. He came back and suddenly started hitting the ball. You need to be fresh to play at your maximum. More time at home for the players is paramount."