“I am seeing in Alastair Cook a player who is not enjoying the game”

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Former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes that Alastair Cook is on the verge of stepping down as Test captain.

Cook recently said that he needed some time to think about whether he wants to continue captaining England in the longest format of the game after his side were thrashed 4-0 in their recently concluded five-Test series in India.

While many of Cook’s team-mates believe that he will keep hold of the reins, Vaughan feels that just the opposite will happen.

“His body language over the last three matches was one where he looks like he might be thinking of calling it a day,” Vaughan told BBC Sport. “He’s earned that right to have a period of time at home. We’ll wait and see.

“He’s stubborn and mentally very tough. He’s been through this sort of spell two or three times in his captaincy and carried on.

“But he has to be very honest with himself. Does he have the passion and energy to take the team forward through the seven Tests next summer? And then through the Ashes next winter? I would think it’s very close to being the time to call it quits from his perspective.”

Cook is set to have a meeting with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Andrew Strauss next month, where Vaughan expects that a final decision will be taken.

“They’ll meet up, they’ll have a good chat. It just needs some honesty,” Vaughan added. “Andrew Strauss has got to say to him ‘Cookie, have you got the energy?’ You need to have so much energy to lead your country.

“I am seeing in Alastair Cook a player who is not enjoying the game. This England team are a great set of lads and Alastair Cook is the nicest lad in the world but he has had a stinker [in India].

“Some of his tactics have been all over the place. It is more important to get Alastair Cook’s runs in Australia and, if it means him not being the leader to get those runs, I’ll take that.”