Michael Vaughan Chooses Between Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma in IPL ‘Play, Sell or Bench’ Game

Former England captain Michael Vaughan recently participated in a fun yet challenging hypothetical game on a podcast with Cricket.com, where he had to choose between three of the greatest IPL players: Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma. The game, dubbed ‘Play, Sell or Bench,’ required Vaughan to pick one player to feature in the starting XI, one to be benched as a substitute, and one to be sold to another franchise.

Despite the difficulty of choosing between the three legendary cricketers, Vaughan made his decision without much hesitation. He chose MS Dhoni to play, explaining that Dhoni’s captaincy and leadership made him indispensable for the team. “I’m playing MS Dhoni. I don’t think anyone’s been better. MS is the captain. He’s playing,” Vaughan stated.

When it came to the ‘sell’ option, Vaughan selected Virat Kohli, reasoning that while Kohli is the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer, he has yet to win an IPL title. “I’m getting rid of Virat. I’m getting rid of him because he’s never won the IPL,” Vaughan explained. He also noted that selling Kohli could bring in a significant amount of money for the team: “I can get a good load of cash for him. He’ll go somewhere else for a huge amount of money. That’s good business.”

Lastly, Vaughan benched Rohit Sharma, acknowledging Rohit’s impressive record of six IPL titles, five as the captain of Mumbai Indians, and one with the Deccan Chargers. “Rohit is my MS substitute,” Vaughan added, emphasizing Rohit’s value as a backup option.

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A Look at the Trio’s IPL Legacy

All three players have been integral to the IPL since its inception in 2008. Kohli has accumulated a staggering 8,004 runs in 252 matches, making him the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Rohit Sharma ranks third with 6,628 runs in 257 games, while Dhoni has amassed 5,243 runs in 264 matches, placing him sixth all-time.

In terms of titles, Rohit leads the way with six IPL championships, while Dhoni has won five—all as captain of the Chennai Super Kings. Kohli, however, is still chasing his first IPL title despite leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to three finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016.

Interestingly, all three legends no longer captain their respective IPL franchises. While Dhoni passed the captaincy torch to Ruturaj Gaikwad at Chennai Super Kings, Rohit Sharma has been succeeded by Hardik Pandya at Mumbai Indians, and Faf du Plessis currently leads RCB.

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