England will win 2015 World Cup - Michael Vaughan

England face a familiar sinking feeling as they suffer an early exit in 2011

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed England to win the World Cup for the first time in 2015.

England have reached three World Cup finals but have not progressed beyond the quarter-finals since 1992.

But they have recently won the World Twenty20, become the top Test team and secured an Ashes victory in Australia.

"I expect them to win in 2015. England will have the group of players and strength in depth - they'll be the team to beat," he told Test Match Special.

Vaughan, speaking during the lunch break of the abandoned opening one-day international against reigning World Cup holders India, added that he expected the tourists to decline as key players, including Sachin Tendulkar, are unlikely to feature in the next tournament.

"England have a pool of 20-22 players they can rotate. Five years ago they didn't have that many that could play international cricket," added Vaughan.

"Now if you dropped or rested three or four players the ones coming in would be of a very good standard."

Although England are seen to have greater strength in depth than in recent years, the decision to rest star batsman Kevin Pietersen has raised eyebrows, not least after he rediscovered his form in the Test series against India, averaging more than 100.

However, Vaughan suggested the decision could pay dividends.

"I think the selectors are trying to find any little formula to get the best from KP. They are trying to find that spark that gets him back to how he played in South Africa on his first tour. The last two years have not been his best," said Vaughan.

"I think in 2015 we'll need [Somerset batsman] Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes [the player in the side in place of Pietersen] and [Durham leg-spinner] Scott Borthwick. They will be the core of the team."

However, for England to triumph, Vaughan believes a shake-up of the batting order might be required.

The side have struggled to find a consistent opening partnership while debate rages as to whether Jonathan Trott should bat at number three, his healthy average arguably hiding a propensity to slow the momentum of the innings.

"He doesn't have to think about his place but he needs to go through the gears sooner," Vaughan stated.

"The best players, like Eoin Morgan, are playing an innings before they're out there and are on 15 in their head before they get to the crease. Trott's good enough to do that as well.

"I'd like to see Ian Bell opening - I think he could be a Tendulkar or a Mark Waugh at the top of the order, manoeuvre the field just through good cricket shots.

"I think by 2015 Bell could be opening the batting with Alastair Cook, maybe move the keeper to seven, KP at three, Morgan at four and then a new player - maybe Buttler or Alex Hales."

While suggesting the make-up of the team could do with a tweak, Vaughan did praise the team management for a change in scheduling.

"One of the big things is that the last three World Cups have come on the back of Ashes series in Australia," said the former England captain.

"That's changed for 2015. This winter they played brilliantly to win in Australia and I thought they'd do well in the World Cup but they were knackered."

But Vaughan believes a well-rested England will be hard to resist, saying: "They've got ability in the field, variation with the ball, a world-class spinner in Graeme Swann and strikers with the bat.

"They're the ingredients for a successful one-day team."