Why Vaughan prefers a quick shave on sidewalks
What’s in a shave? Plenty of Mumbai’s streetside charm, if you are Michael Vaughan.
A hugely popular figure in cricket, Vaughan is a successful former England captain with over 7,500 runs across 82 Tests and 86 ODIs. The Englishman has travelled the world during his near decade-long international playing career and as an expert and broadcaster thereafter, staying in the most luxurious of hotels and dining in the fanciest of restaurants. When it comes to getting a quick shave and trim while in Mumbai, though, Vaughan prefers the good ol’ humble hand of a roadside barber.
It is not a fun one-off adventure that he dares embark upon; it’s a habit that Vaughan has developed a taste for every time he checks into the city. Like he has now, working with a cricket website as a guest expert for the Indian Premier League.
Vaughan is put up at a posh hotel in South Mumbai, yet for his beard clean job a few days ago, he wandered through the streets to trust a small-time barber near the Gateway of India for it.
“Whenever I need a shave, I hit the streets. Why use a posh salon in the hotel when you can just go to a streetside and get it done by someone who is equally as skilled?” Vaughan says. “I think that’s what coming to Mumbai is all about — you have to get out and experience what the locals do.”
The 49-year-old Englishman is the least bit concerned about safety and hygiene around his streetside exercise, nor does he get too conscious about a curious look or two he invariably generates from passersby. “People are mostly smiling anyways,” he says.
Most of the city’s major streets employ these unassuming barbers, waiting with no more than a chair (or a stool, even), a couple of scissors, a few towels and other equipment for a customer seeking a quick and/or cheap fix.
For the former English cricketer who has spent a fair bit of time in Mumbai over the last couple of years, that’s fascinating.
“We don’t have this in the UK. It’s a wonderful way of life, when you’re just sitting outside and someone is giving you a shave on the side of a road with everything going around you. It’s just surreal,” Vaughan says. “And they’re also very good at the job.”
The go-to guy
So good that Vaughan has a preferred service provider for his shaves. During last year’s IPL, Dindayal was a prominent figure in Vaughan’s social media platforms. Stationed on Ormiston Road beside the wall of an apartment, Vaughan spotted him one day and “decided to give him a go”.
And off went Dindayal, winning his most loyal customer over with a nice shave, a little trim capped off by the signature head massage.
Dindayal wasn’t around when Vaughan returned to Mumbai this week, compelling him to hunt elsewhere (welcome, Akil and his team parked near the Gateway). Much to his relief, Vaughan’s been told Dindayal would be back soon.
“He’s my go-to guy,” Vaughan asserts. “I’ll try anyone, but if Dindayal is there I’ll always go to him.”
The typical view of kids playing cricket inside the apartment while Vaughan sits on a high stool with Dindayal going about his work is an alluring bonus. Vaughan often pays him ₹500 or ₹1,000 for every visit, a lot more than Dindayal’s standard rate. “I try and pay them what I pay at home,” he says.
Vaughan and his “good friend” Dindayal have formed a unique bond, even though there’s not a lot of talking involved. “He doesn’t speak great English, and I don’t speak great Hindi. But I think he knows who I am,” Vaughan says.
And Vaughan’s social media followers (he has 326K on Instagram and 1.6 million on X) sure know who Dindayal is. On a video that Vaughan posted on X of his arrival in Mumbai earlier this week came a query from one of his followers: “Have you taken the Road side Haircut yet.” Vaughan duly replied that Dindayal wasn’t around when he tried his luck that morning.
“One of the reasons why I put this stuff (photos and videos of his roadside haircuts) on my social media is because I want people to come to Mumbai and experience what a great place it is, how hybrid it is,” he says. “I always advice people to try the streetside barbers and make sure you have a shave when you come to Mumbai.”
Vaughan doesn’t just walk the streets for a roadside shave. He also walks the talk.
“Last year I brought my friend along, and we both had a haircut and a shave. I think Dindayal got well looked after — he couldn’t believe his luck!” Vaughan chuckles.