One skipper is best - Warne

Shane Warne admits having two captains would be difficult © Getty Images

Shane Warne urged England not to split the captaincy for Test and one-day matches - but insisted Michael Vaughan must be dropped if he does not deserve his place in the side.

There have been calls for Andrew Flintoff, who led England with distinction in India, to be named permanent one-day skipper with Vaughan retaining control of the Test side.

But leg-spinning legend Warne insists the prestige of captaincy should be preserved by appointing only one leader for both teams.

"There were no problems with having separate skippers when I played under that system with Australia, but the hard thing was to find continuity," he said.

"Two different captains tend to have two different opinions on certain players and the way Australian cricket is heading.

"As long as communication is good between the two captains then there is no drama. But ideally you'd like one captain as it should be a treasured position.

"It should be someone within the group who guys look up to for leadership. I'd prefer one captain. Two captains can work but one is better."

Flintoff will continue to deputise for Vaughan in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts on Thursday, until the regular skipper recovers from a knee injury.

Andrew Flintoff will again deputise for Michael Vaughan © Getty Images

It is hoped Vaughan will return within the next couple of weeks to resume the leadership duties, and Warne admits the Yorkshire batsman remains England's figurehead.

But Vaughan has failed to emulate his Test success in the one-dayers and Warne stresses it is essential that a skipper's form warrants his inclusion.

"Michael Vaughan is crucial if England are to defend the Ashes - as a captain and player. The way he plays is very aggressive," he said.

"He has all the shots and is a very good captain. He's an important part of the team, but he must perform.

"It's no use having a situation where the captain is not warranting his place in the side - and I'm not saying Michael Vaughan doesn't - because he's not playing as well in one-day cricket as Test cricket

"If that's the case, then you have to weigh up your options. If the captain deserves his place in the side and he's the best man for the job, then he should get the job."

Warne was speaking at the launch of a new initiative to encourage interest in spin bowling in eight- to 11-year-olds, entitled 'Spin Idol'.

Not for the first time the 36-year-old was the centre of newspaper revelations over the weekend but denied the story was tarnishing his legacy as Test cricket's leading wicket-taker.

"My private life should be my private life. Stories like don't concern me. I'm a cricketer," he said.

He added: "If this initiative produces a wristie who plays for England and does really well then I think we will have done our jobs well. I'll be very proud."