Former Australian legend Adam Gilchrist and former England captain Michael Vaughan were asked to tackle a difficult question on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, which is sure to spark debate among cricket fans. The duo was asked to make a hypothetical choice for their franchise: Start one, bench one, and sell one between Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The challenge was substantial, but Vaughan provided a response that caught many off guard.
“I’m playing MS Dhoni. I don’t think anyone’s been better,” Vaughan said, explaining his choice while speaking alongside Gilchrist during an interview with cricket.com’s YouTube channel. Vaughan justified his decision by highlighting Dhoni’s leadership. “MS is a captain,” he remarked, choosing Dhoni over Virat Kohli.
As for Kohli, Vaughan made a bold move. “I’m getting rid of Virat. He’s never won the IPL. Rohit Sharma is a six-time winner. MS Dhoni is a five-time winner,” Vaughan stated. He added that Rohit would be his choice to sit on the bench, essentially as a backup to Dhoni.
Kohli’s Value in the Market, Dhoni’s Leadership Stands Out
Gilchrist weighed in, echoing Vaughan’s thoughts about Kohli. He pointed out the financial advantage of selling Kohli. “You’ll get a good price for Virat,” Gilchrist noted, with Vaughan quickly agreeing, “It’s good business.” Vaughan elaborated that Kohli would still fetch a significant sum elsewhere: “I can get a load of cash for him. He’ll go somewhere else for a huge amount of money.”
In a surprising turn, Gilchrist agreed with Vaughan’s approach. “I think that’s well thought through. You’re splitting hairs, it’s a tough call on all, but that’s the job of a manager,” Gilchrist commented, acknowledging the complexity of the decision.
With the 2025 IPL mega auction approaching, retention discussions are heating up. Whether Dhoni, Rohit, and Kohli will remain with their respective franchises is yet to be confirmed. Speculation continues, and some reports suggest that Chennai Super Kings’ decision on Dhoni might depend on how many retentions are allowed.
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