Former England captains were almost united in their belief that Andrew Strauss should lead England in Bangladesh, with the exception of Michael Vaughan.
“Strauss should not be having a rest. He has only been in the job for a year, he does not play Twenty20 cricket and plays very little for Middlesex, and it is not as though he has been out in the middle for hour after hour in South Africa. Captaining your country is a demanding job but it is also an honour. I can’t imagine Ricky Ponting or Graeme Smith just handing over the captaincy for a tour to have a rest.” Mike Atherton, Times chief cricket correspondent
“He should definitely be there. After the defeat to South Africa, Strauss said the team are not where he wants them to be. He should be with the team to get them there, not resting at home. The guys have four weeks off now [and] there is no need for Strauss to play in the one-day internationals. The first Test is almost eight weeks away. That would be a fairly lengthy rest.” Bob Willis
“It is a serious mistake. It is his team. They are not functioning perfectly and having just been thumped by an innings, that is no time to be walking away for a break. There is work to be done.” Sir Ian Botham
“The England captaincy is a 24-hour-a-day, 12-months-a-year job. It is not a job you hand over to someone else and you should never ask your side to go on to the field without you.” Nasser Hussain
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“I fully understand why they are doing it, but I believe that when you take on the role of captain, you have to take everything that’s thrown at you.” Alec Stewart
“Once you get the job, my view is that you stick at it. Those of us who have been sacked know that the England captaincy can be a precarious position. When you have achieved a position of some strength, as Strauss has with an Ashes win and a decent showing in South Africa, you should be keen to improve. Every Test provides a chance to learn more about captaincy.” David Gower
“I think he’s going to get a lot of stick but it’s a window for him to go and have a rest. For me, the Australian series at the end of this year is what we all should be gearing towards and if Strauss needs a break now, let him have one.” Michael Vaughan