LONDON, Dec 29: Former captain Michael Vaughan was omitted from the England squad announced here on Monday for the tour of the West Indies although the door was left open for him to play in next year’s Ashes.

The 34-year-old Yorkshire batsman was not selected for the recently concluded tour of India, where England were thrashed 5-0 in the one-day internationals, a series cut short by the Mumbai terror attacks, and lost the two-match Test series 1-0 with one draw.

Vaughan, who led England to Ashes glory in 2005, spent five years as both Test and one-day captain before resigning during the home Test series against South Africa in August, a campaign England lost, having struggled for runs.

“Michael Vaughan has not yet had an opportunity to prove his form in order to be considered for selection for the Test side,” said England national selector Geoff Miller after announcing a Test squad which saw all those chosen for the India tour keep their places.

“He does, however, remain very much in our thoughts as we continue to plan for the Ashes Test series against Australia later this summer,” the former England off-spinner added.

“He will play a full part in Yorkshire’s pre-season programme, which will include a tour to Dubai, and we will continue to monitor his form closely once the domestic season begins in April.”

Kevin Pietersen will captain a 16-man Test party and also lead a 15-man one-day squad.

Vaughan was touted as a possible replacement at No 3 for Ian Bell, who struggled in India. But both Bell and Owais Shah, who in India wasn’t given a chance to add to his two Test caps despite impressive recent one-day form, were retained in both squads.Fast bowler Stephen Harmison, dropped from the England team that drew the second Test in India in Mohali earlier this month after a lacklustre display in England’s first Test defeat, also retained his place.

Uncapped Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid was included in the Test squad along with Nottinghamshire left-arm pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who missed the India Test series with a side injury.

Hampshire all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas was recalled to the one-day squad, where uncapped Worcestershire wicket-keeper Steven Davies has been selected for the first time.

But Test batsman Alastair Cook and Luke Wright, the Sussex all-rounder, were dropped from the one-day squad.

Rashid was a late addition to the India squad and Miller said he was “an exciting prospect”, adding, in a thinly veiled warning to Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann, that his inclusion would provide “extra competition for places in the spin-bowling department”.

Turning to the one-day squad, Miller said: “Dimitri Mascarenhas has performed well for England before in the shorter form of the game and we feel that his experience will serve the team well in the Caribbean.

Vaughan could only manage scores of two, nought, 21, nought and 17 against South Africa.

In 82 Tests, Vaughan has scored 5,719 runs, including 18 hundreds at an average of just over 41.

England are due to play the first of four Tests against the West Indies at Sabina Park, Jamaica, starting on Feb 4. Their tour also features five one-dayers and a Twenty20.

They then face the West Indies again at home before taking on Australia in the Ashes series, which starts in July.

Vaughan was also left out of the England Lions or ‘A’ squad, that will tour New Zealand.

Despite his poor form, Vaughan was still awarded a lucrative England central contract in September and Miller said: “He will keep on earning his keep by getting ready to play for England. There is a lot of cricket to be played and we didn’t want to lose that experience.”

Test squad: Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Monty Panesar, Matt Prior, Adil Rashid, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann.

One-day squad: Kevin Pietersen (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah (Middlesex), Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom.

Tour itinerary:

Jan 21: England arrive in St Kitts.

Jan 25-27: v St Kitts & Nevis Invitation XI (St Kitts).

Jan 29-31: v West Indies ‘A’ (St Kitts).

Feb 4-8: First Test (Jamaica).

Feb 13-17: Second Test (Antigua).

Feb 21-22: v BCA President’s XI (Barbados).

Feb 26-March 2: Third Test (Barbados).

March 6-10: Fourth Test (Trinidad).

March 14: v WIPA President’s Select XI (Trinidad).

March 15: Twenty20 International (Trinidad).

March 20: First One-day International (Guyana).

March 22: Second One-day international (Guyana).

March 27: Third One-day International (Barbados).

March 29: Fourth One-day International (Barbados).

April 3: Fifth One-day International (St Lucia, D/N).

April 4: Leave for London.—Agencies