Former England captain Michael Vaughan has insisted that the decision to axe James Anderson and Stuart Broad for their upcoming tour of the West Indies was "the right call".
Experienced duo Anderson and Broad were brutally snubbed by England following the Ashes, despite both bowling well on the tour.
Anderson took his wickets at an average of 23.37, while Broad picked up his at an average of 26.30.
However, England decided to drop the pair for next month's three-Test series, with interim managing director Sir Andrew Strauss saying the decision was made to "look at some exciting new bowling potential and give some added responsibility to other players who have featured previously."
There has been widespread outrage at Anderson and Broad's axing, with Kevin Pietersen labelling it an "absolute disgrace" and Steve Harmison calling it "disgusting".
However, Vaughan has defended the decision, claiming England have to go "a little bit backwards before they go forwards".
Speaking on Fox Cricket's Follow-On podcast , Vaughan said: "I think Strauss has looked at this and said 'well we have to go without them eventually, why not start in the Caribbean'.
"In two, three, four years' time, will this Caribbean tour be the one that everyone remembers? Possibly not. But it might just be the tour to look back to and say 'that's the tour that Andrew Strauss got rid of our senior bowlers, and the tour where Woakes and Robinson feel a bit more responsibility.'
"I see an England side without Broad and Anderson maybe going a little bit backwards before they go forwards, but sometimes in sport you've got to be willing to do that.
"It's sad for them, I do feel sorry for them. On the back of a really poor Ashes series with the bat, the bowlers were okay at times; it was the batting that was atrocious. I completely get their anger.
"Andrew Strauss has so many things on his plate that he probably doesn’t have the time to drive up to Nottingham and spend half a day with them.
"It's what he would want to do, but at this stage I think it's the right call to try and go without them this tour."
