‘Sell Virat, bench Rohit’ – Michael Vaughan’s shocking picks in Play, Sell, Bench challenge

Michael Vaughan, Rohit Sharma, & Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Philip Brown/Popperfoto, Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

In the long history of Indian cricket, three names have given immense joy to fans for nearly two decades, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. These three have not only led India to numerous victories but have also changed Indian cricket in their own way. 

The Indian cricket team has seen a golden era under the leadership of these three stalwarts. MS Dhoni led India to three ICC trophies, the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Under Kohli India became a dominating Test side, achieving the No. 1 ranking and reaching the World Test Championship final. Meanwhile, Sharma continued the legacy, securing another World Test Championship final appearance and recently clinching the T20 World Cup in 2024 and ending India’s 11-year ICC drought.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Rohit’s Mumbai Indians have each claimed five IPL titles, while Kohli’s tenure with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, though trophyless, has seen some exceptional individual performances.

Also Read: IPL 2025: CSK likely to retain MS Dhoni in lowest bid category ahead of mega auction

In a recent podcast on Club Prairie Fire, former England Michael Vaughan along with former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist were asked to play the game “Play, Sell, or Bench” featuring Dhoni, Kohli, and Sharma. Vaughan chose to “play” MS Dhoni in his team, saying, “Playing MS Dhoni, I don’t think anyone’s been better.” He decided to “sell” Kohli, explaining, “No Virat won’t find a place, MS is a captain, I’m getting rid of Virat. I am getting rid of him ’cause he has never won the IPL.”  Lastly, he opted to “bench” Sharma, said that, “Rohit will be MS’s substitute on the bench.”

Watch the video below:

Vaughan’s decision to play Dhoni is understandable given his success as a captain in both international and IPL. With a win percentage of 58.84% in the IPL and three ICC trophies, the Ranchi-born’s presence has been immense. Though Kohli hasn’t won an IPL title as captain, but has an impact on Indian cricket and has a stellar record across formats. Kohli’s leadership has seen India having a brilliant run in the longest format of the game. On the other hand, Sharma, the current Indian captain and five-time IPL-winning skipper, has a success rate of 73.80% across formats as captain is the highest among the three.