Vaughan says Cook's 'biggest captaincy challenge' will be to push team to 'winning ways'

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has said that current captain Alastair Cook is facing the 'biggest challenge' of his captaincy as he bids to get his team back to winning ways.

Cook, whose leadership was criticised on the disastrous Ashes tour, will oversee one-day and Test series against Sri Lanka and India this summer.

According to the BBC, Vaughan said that he believes his successor will be nervous along with being excited as he will be heavily pressurised and his each mistake, failure or disappointment to be eyed very strongly by critics and fans alike.

With the one-day series against Sri Lanka starting on Thursday following the Twenty20 international, Vaughan said that fans will be looking for immediate signs of improvement, adding that despite winning an Ashes and in India, Cook will feel like he is making a fresh start.

Vaughan hailed Cook for making 'tough calls' like sacking his 'best pal' batting coach Graham Gooch, although he admitted that it was a management decision and a Peter Moores coaching decision as much as Cook's.

Vaughan also hailed Cook's courage in sacking Kevin Pietersen, who has scored more runs for England than anyone else, although he warned that the combination of Cook and Moores is going to be under scrutiny.