How a poll on MS Dhoni and Jos Buttler put Michael Vaughan in trouble

Former England cricket team captain Michael Vaughan’s online poll on former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni and Jos Buttler backfires.

Former England cricket team captain Michael Vaughan was trolled by Indian fans after he ran an online poll, asking his followers to choose one between MS Dhoni and Jos Buttler on the basis of current form.

Former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni has had a better 2017 than England cricket team’s wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler going by stats as well as the impact he has had in matches. (Getty Images)

Vaughan ran the poll after Buttler’s splendid century in the third ODI against Australia cricket team powered England to a 16-run victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground and a series win last Sunday.

Statistically, Dhoni had a better calendar year (2017) than Buttler. Dhoni averaged 60.61 in 29 ODIs, scoring 788 runs with one century and six half-centuries. Buttler, on the other hand, could manage only 288 runs at 28.80 with two fifties in 2017.

Dhoni had better returns in T20I in 2017 as well. He scored 252 runs in 13 matches at 42, with one half-century. Buttler played seven matches, scoring 86 at 17.20, with the highest of 31.

On Sunday, it was largely due to Buttler’s late blitz that England were able to pile up a total of 302 for six in their allotted 50 overs against Australia. The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed an unbeaten 100 off 83 balls, studded with four sixes and six boundaries.

Elated by Buttler’s heroics, Vaughan ran a Twitter poll asking fans to take a pick between the famed Indian wicketkeeper-batsman and England’s white-ball specialist.

And despite Buttler’s innings, he could not find enough votes to outgun India’s World Cup winning captain.

However, it was Vaughan who was trolled by the Indian cricket fans for running that poll.

The former England captain admitted it was a bad idea to ask fans to choose between Buttler and Dhoni.