'Travesty' if Stokes doesn't captain England again - Vaughan

It would be an "absolute travesty" if Ben Stokes does not captain England again but his future remains in doubt, says former skipper Michael Vaughan.

Stokes was left out of England's squad for the second Test against New Zealand, which began on Wednesday, after he broke the team's midnight curfew and was involved in an incident in a nightclub last week.

The topic dominated the build-up to the Oval Test, with coach Brendon McCullum and director Rob Key both refusing to confirm they want the talismanic all-rounder to return as skipper.

But Vaughan said Stokes has enough "credit in the bank" to return.

"This team needs him as a leader, as a captain," Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special.

"His tactical awareness of the game has been right up there with the best captains I have seen."

Vaughan said there are "many more" senior figures at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) who have not got the same credit in the bank as Stokes.

"I wouldn't want to be that person that says to the English cricket fan 'Ben Stokes is not our captain any more'," added Vaughan.