Michael Vaughan believes Moeen Ali should be dropped by England following lacklustre displays with ball and bat as the inquest into their Ashes misery got under way.
Australia regained the urn after an innings-and-41-run victory over England in the third Test at Perth, moving into an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
England will now seek to avoid a third series whitewash in Australia in their past four trips and Ashes 2005 winning captain Vaughan has called on the tourists to leave Moeen out of their plans for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
The all-rounder has taken just three wickets – although he has been hampered by a finger injury – and has also flattered to deceive with the bat, with 116 runs at an average of 19.33.
He is below Australia’s number nine Pat Cummins in the run-charts while he has been dismissed in five of his six innings by opposite number Nathan Lyon, who has been one of Australia’s pivotal performers so far.
Vaughan said on BT Sport 1: “You’ve got to make the change. If Moeen Ali’s going to be the batsman that just bowls a little bit then he’s got to bat a bit better than we’ve seen already.
“For me, Moeen Ali can’t play in Melbourne.”
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott bemoaned the gulf in class between Moeen and Lyon.
Ali has been outperformed by Lyon in the Ashes.
The pundit said: “It’s not a contest. My mum could play Moeen.
“We play a batsman who can bowl a bit. He’s done quite well for us, Moeen Ali, but he’s not a quality spinner. He’s nothing like a quality spinner.”
Boycott, who featured in 108 Tests between 1964 and 1982, also highlighted the lack of credible genuine fast bowlers that could rival Mitchell Starc or Cummins for pace.
He added: “They need to get better players and they haven’t got better players in English cricket. English cricket has a paucity of quality.
“Every member or supporter of their county club will tell you somebody who they would have picked instead of one or two in this team, but you can’t honestly say at home there are players who ought to be in this side.”
Vaughan believes Root should start planning for a new England.
With a series defeat now confirmed, Vaughan believes captain Joe Root needs to start thinking of the long-term for the Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
He added: “Joe Root needs to take out 10 players out with him that are desperate to be out there in in the middle at the MCG.
“He’s 10 games into his role. He’s got to start having a look around the dressing room and try and identify the characters that he wants to take forward, there might be one or two that he doesn’t.
“Over the next few weeks he’s got to try to have a look around the team.
“Is it now time to start building? Is it now time to start looking at the future? And if it means that he has to make a tough call or two then he’s going to have make that.”