India Wouldn’t Have Lost Game If Virat Kohli Was Captain: Michael Vaughan After IND vs ENG 1st Test

In a surprising turn of events, former England captain Michael Vaughan has expressed a strong opinion on India's recent Test defeat against England in Hyderabad. Vaughan believes that the absence of Virat Kohli's captaincy played a pivotal role in India's loss and criticized Rohit Sharma's defensive tactics. Michael Vaughan made a bold claim, stating, "They missed Virat Kohli’s captaincy massively in Test cricket. Under Virat’s captaincy that week, India wouldn’t have lost the game. Rohit is a legend and a great player. But I felt he just switched off completely," during a discussion on the YouTube channel 'Club Prairie Fire.'

Michael Vaughan __: " India wouldn't have lost the match, had Virat Kohli been the Captain " pic.twitter.com/3kjXErYGDA

— RCB Xtra. (@Rcb_Xtra) January 31, 2024

Test Match Recap

The first Test in Hyderabad saw India facing their fourth home Test defeat in the past decade. England secured victory with a remarkable 196-run innings by Ollie Pope and an exceptional performance by debutant Tom Hartley.

Vaughan's Critique on Rohit Sharma

Vaughan further criticized Rohit Sharma's captaincy in his column for The Telegraph. He described Rohit's leadership as "very, very average," pointing out his reactive approach, lack of strategic field placements, and an inability to counter Ollie Pope's sweeps and reverse sweeps.

Kohli's Absence and Vaughan's Assessment

Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons, and Vaughan refrained from speculating on the details. However, he emphasized that Kohli's absence was deeply felt during critical moments in the first Test.

India's Hope for Turnaround

As India prepares for the second Test in Visakhapatnam from February 2, all eyes are on the team's ability to bounce back. The challenge is not only to secure a win but also to address the captaincy concerns highlighted by Vaughan.