Michael Vaughan Highlights Key Difference Between Dhoni and Kohli: “Would Have Lost Its Appeal if…”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has reflected on the big difference between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni as captains. He also said that the red-ball format would have become unappealing if it weren’t for Virat Kohli.

Michael Vaughan was shocked and unhappy about Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket. He expressed his disappointment with not being able to watch him play in whites from now on.

Vaughan stated that no one has done as much as Virat Kohli for Indian Test cricket. Virat represented India in 123 Tests, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.

How Vaughan Took Virat’s Retirement News

“There are not too many Test retirements where I am left genuinely disappointed that I won’t watch a cricketer play again. But I’m sad we won’t see Virat Kohli in England this summer or in whites any more,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.

“I’m shocked that he’s retiring now, and I’m also quite sad about it. In my time involved in the game, stretching back more than 30 years, I don’t believe there is any individual who has done more for the Test format than Virat.” Kohli led India to 40 wins in 68 Tests — the most by any Indian skipper to date — and Vaughan said it was the 36-year-old Indian who brought the love back to the traditional format, and the five-day game would have been a “far blander place” without him.”

Virat’s Comparison With MS Dhoni

“When he took the captaincy just over a decade ago, I was worried India was losing interest in Test cricket,” said the 50-year-old.

Vaughan boldly compared Virat and Dhoni, saying, “MS Dhoni was one of the great white-ball players, but it felt like he captained a Test team who did not love the format. The game needs India to be madly in love with Test cricket, and that is what Virat fostered as captain.”

“His passion, skill, and the way he talked about Test cricket always being the pinnacle has been a huge shot in the arm for the format. Test cricket would have been a far blander place without him, and there is a chance it would have lost its appeal if he had not been as interested and invested in it.”

‘A blow to Test cricket’

Vaughan stated that Virat’s retirement is a big loss for test cricket and appreciated his consistency in all formats.

“His retirement now is a blow to Test cricket and very disappointing for fans–not least in England this summer–but my belief is that he has helped forge a love for the format among the generation that will follow him, and kept the flame burning,” wrote the former opening batter.

“It’s impossible to compare across every era, but if you look at since T20 came in around 20 years ago, he is almost certainly the greatest player when you consider all three formats.”

Vaughan Snubs Criticisms About Virat

The former England skipper provided another perspective on Virat’s aggressive attitude on the field, which often received criticism.

“All great players have egos, but maybe Virat’s wasn’t quite as big as we thought. Perhaps family life has mellowed him a bit, and he just wants as normal a life as he possibly can, which is probably going to be in London, where he spends a lot of time now.”

“Those outside that bubble really can’t imagine what it’s like being a Kohli or a Sachin Tendulkar, with the pressure of billions of adoring fans on your shoulders.”

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