Vaughan to join Performance squad in India

Michael Vaughan, the former England batsman and captain, will travel with the England Performance Programme squad in India this month in a bid to be considered for the Ashes next year.

Vaughan has held talks with Geoff Miller, the head of selectors, and will fly out to India on November 21. Crucially, the Performance squad will then link up with England for training on December 17. It will be Vaughan's first involvement with England under the new regime of Kevin Pietersen.

Vaughan stepped down as England captain in the summer and had intimated that he needed a break from the game, but has never hid his ambitions to return to Test cricket as a batsman, particularly for the Ashes next year. He missed out on selection with the full England squad to India because "his place in the Test squad cannot be justified based on recent form". His brief visit to India with the Performance Programme represents a crucial opportunity for him to prove that he has the desire to return as a fully-fledged Test batsman.

The Performance Programme squad are due to play a three-day game in Bangalore on November 30 before a four-day match in Mumbai.