As for choosing someone who could slot into any of the top-five batting positions then the choice for England ahead of tomorrow's tour party announcement probably rests between Kent's Ed Smith and Andrew Strauss of Middlesex.
The jury is out on Smith after three Tests against South Africa, two of them played on the poor pitches of Trent Bridge and Headingley.
If England's selectors are leaning towards an unfavourable verdict, however, then the high-class century Strauss scored for Middlesex against Sussex last week could prove timely.
Left-hander Strauss was particularly impressive against leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and Vaughan's squad will face spin of all sorts in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Come late February and England will be off on their travels again, to the Caribbean for four more Tests and another stack of one-dayers.
That trip will require a different attack, with pacemen Andrew Caddick and Simon Jones likely to enter the equation if fit. As for the first half of the winter, though, three spinners will be needed and two are likely to play in all five Tests.
Left-armer Ashley Giles is a certainty while Robert Croft, poised for a recall two years after declining to tour India, and Gareth Batty should be the off-spinning rivals.
The absence of Caddick this summer, because of a career-threatening back problem, and Darren Gough's decision to retire from Test cricket because of a wonky knee caught England on the hop. Now, though, with Matthew Hoggard overcoming his knee problem, the selectors may have to decide between Steve Harmison (a four-wicket star at The Oval) and James Kirtley (man of the match at Trent Bridge) for one place unless they increase the Test squad to 17.
Either way, Martin Bicknell will have to survive on those happy memories from Monday, but then the 34-year-old Surrey trooper always knew he was back for the short haul.
Alec Stewart, of course, has gone, and Chris Read deserves first crack at replacing him at Test level, having performed well on both sides of the stumps during this summer's oneday internationals.
