Former Australia star Adam Gilchrist and ex-England captain Michael Vaughan tackled a challenging question during their appearance on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. They were asked to choose between Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni for their hypothetical franchise, specifying whom to start, bench, and sell. Vaughan, in a surprising twist, shared his thoughts on the matter.
“I’d start with MS Dhoni. I don’t think anyone’s been better,” Vaughan stated, emphasizing Dhoni’s leadership skills over Kohli’s. “MS is a captain,” he added, explaining his choice.
Vaughan expressed his decision to let go of Virat Kohli, citing his lack of IPL titles. “He’s never won the IPL, while Rohit Sharma has six titles, and MS Dhoni has five,” he explained. Vaughan chose to bench Rohit Sharma as a substitute for Dhoni.
Gilchrist chimed in, noting that selling Kohli could bring in substantial revenue for their franchise. “You’ll get a good price for Virat,” he remarked, to which Vaughan agreed, saying, “It’s good business.”
Gilchrist acknowledged the reasoning behind their decisions, saying, “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.”
With the IPL mega auction for the 2025 season approaching, discussions about retention rules are heating up. The future of MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli with their current franchises remains uncertain. Reports indicate that the Chennai Super Kings’ decision regarding Dhoni will depend on the number of retentions allowed.