Root’s position as England Test skipper is under scrutiny following England’s dismal Ashes defeat in Australia, but Vaughan believes he should keep his job.
England are 3-0 down ahead of the fifth and final Test in Hobart, having clung on for a draw in Sydney following three successive hammerings in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.
While Vaughan wants Root to remain in charge following the Ashes, he says the fellow Yorkshireman must now focus on managing Anderson’s retirement and ‘move on’ from wicketkeeper Buttler.
Anderson, England’s record wicket-taker with 640 Test scalps, has taken eight wickets in three Tests during the current Ashes series.
Buttler, meanwhile, has struggled with the bat and the gloves in Australia and will miss the final Test after travelling home due to a broken finger.
‘Managing Jimmy’s retirement is going to be key to this team moving forward. His future is the big elephant in the room,’ Vaughan wrote in a column for the Daily Telegraph.
‘England cannot move on and be a world force with Anderson at the helm. I love watching Jimmy bowl. He is a poet with the ball in hand. He could still be England’s best bowler for another two years.
‘Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath retired with one or two years of high level cricket still left in them. Just because you can still perform does not mean you should keep going on and on.
‘The last three Ashes series in Australia have been 5-0, 4-0, and 3-0 with one to play. The team has to evolve.
‘It is not about sacking Jimmy. It is about what is right for English cricket. The right thing is to transition, but do it respectfully.’
The former England captain added: ‘It is now time to have a conversation with Jos Buttler. I personally think he is very close to inheriting the white-ball captaincy.
‘If Eoin Morgan finds form this summer then keep him but if not then make Jos captain for the T20 World Cup in October and November.
‘He should be given the freedom to lead the team his way, like Morgan has for the last six years. It is hard to play all three formats as a keeper-batter. Not many have done it successfully for long. There is just too much cricket.
‘His record is not horrific but ultimately he has found it hard to get the tempo right and decide what style of batsman he needs to be.
‘His keeping has not become high class but when playing all three formats it is hard to put in the commitment each day. It takes a huge amount of effort to be a top keeper in Test cricket.
‘England gave him a long run in the side but the energy levels behind the stumps have been lacking in Australia. He has been affected by Covid bubbles and it is the right time to move on.’
With Buttler ruled out of the fifth and final Ashes Test, England will consider handing Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope or Sam Billings the gloves in Hobart.
But Bairstow could also miss the series finale as he is struggling with a thumb injury sustained while making a superb century in the drawn Sydney Test.
Discussing his potential Test debut, Kent star Billings said: ‘Regardless of the format, regardless of circumstances, with experience and maturity you can get a sense of where your game is at.
‘I’ve been playing and scoring runs. I’m 100 per cent ready if required. It doesn’t really matter what format it is, it’s more about rhythm, confidence and mindset.
‘As a player you look where your opportunities may lie to progress your career… for me it has always been with the white-ball side so far. But this has been on the radar, it’s something I’ve really wanted to do.’
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