ENG vs IND | Those who are complaining are outright boring, we need characters like Virat Kohli, says Michael Vaughan

09/08/2021

Michael Vaughan has backed India skipper Virat Kohli after the latter’s trumpet celebration directed at the Barmy Army ended up receiving much criticism. Vaughan defended Kohli while stating that there was nothing wrong on his part and that players like him make cricket all the more exciting.

After Virat Kohli’s trumpet celebration directed towards the Barmy Army, on Day 5 of the fourth Test match against England at The Oval, the cricket world presented mixed opinions. Kohli unleashed the celebration as India struck crucial blows on Monday afternoon to inch closer to victory.

Vaughan, the former England captain defended Kohli and asserted that cricket needed more players like the latter. He also lauded the India skipper for giving a tactical masterclass on Test match captaincy.

"Virat Kohli is an incredible leader. You know, he's got this incredible buzz of energy. He was taking a shot at the Barmy Army with his trumpet signs to the stands. I love it. I just think we don't have enough characters in the game and when we have someone like Virat Kohli doing just that... just kind of mimicking the crowd... trying to get his own supporters going," Vaughan told Fox Cricket.

"When he came out after lunch, he was getting them going... it was like he was at the end of the long jump there in the Olympics trying to get the crowd going. He's an amazing character. He gave a tactical masterclass on how to win a Test match."

Vaughan added that those who were complaining were just plain boring and that in an entertainment industry like cricket, Kohli is one among the few who kept the excitement going. He also went on to draw comparisons between Kohli and former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne and explained how both of them were similar characters.

"Those who are complaining are just boring. They don't understand entertainment. We're in an entertainment industry where we need people like Kohli. We need characters. You go back to the 80s and 90s, there were characters and we worked with them. Shane Warne one of the great characters... absolute great; as mad as a box of frogs but you just know that you have a great character on the commentary box, on the field," the former England captain said.

"When you get someone like Virat Kohli who stands out because we are in an era where we don't have a lot of characters. He's very prickly, he doesn't like criticism. He's always answering back to anyone who is criticising. Again, I like that. What he is doing with this Indian Test team is fantastic,’’ he added.

India now lead the five-match Test series by 2-1. The fifth-Test is scheduled to start on Friday, September 10, at Old Trafford, Manchester.