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Has Virat Kohli Surpassed Sachin Tendulkar As A Batsman?

Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are considered two of the greatest cricketers to have ever graced the sport. One is regarded as the God of Cricket (Sachin Tendulkar), while the other is known as the King of Cricket (Virat Kohli). It cannot be denied that both of them are definitely elite players and absolutely dominated in their respective eras, but who is the better batsman of the two? Has Virat Kohli done enough to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy as a batsman? In this article, we compare the careers of both players and decide which one is the better batsman.

Sachin Tendulkar Vs Virat Kohli Overall Statistics

Player	Sachin Tendulkar	Virat Kohli
Matches	664	532
Runs	34357	26922
High Score	248*	254*
Average	48.52	53.41
Strike Rate	67.58	79.58
100s	100	80
50s	164	140

Sachin Tendulkar is known as the God of Cricket. This is not just a title bestowed for the fun of it. His career statistics are nothing short of awe-inspiring. With 664 international matches under his belt, he scored a staggering 34,357 runs. His international career concluded with an average of 48.52 and a strike rate of 79.94. Tendulkar’s 164 50s and 100 centuries, a milestone no other player has reached, stands as a testament to his cricketing genius.

Virat Kohli has not yet retired from cricket but already has ridiculous statistics. He has played 532 international matches for India and scored 26,922 runs. As of today, he has a career average of 53.41 and a strike rate of 79.58. This will change, considering Kohli has not retired yet. The King of Cricket has already managed to get 80 centuries as he tries to catch up to Sachin Tendulkar’s phenomenal record of 100 100s. Let’s see how the statistics of each player compare to those of the other players in the three international formats.

Statistics In T20Is

Player	Sachin Tendulkar	Virat Kohli
Matches	1	125
Runs	10	4188
High Score	10	122*
Average	10	48.69
Strike Rate	83.33	137.04
100s	0	1
50s	0	38

Sachin Tendulkar has played just one game in the T20I format, which is why it is very difficult to determine exactly what kind of player he would have been in this format. He featured in India’s first-ever T20I fixture against South Africa in 2006 but never played the format again internationally. He scored 10 runs in this game in 12 balls.

Virat Kohli’s T20I journey is a testament to his rapid rise in the format. Making his debut in 2010 against Zimbabwe, he quickly climbed the ranks to become the second-highest run-scorer, trailing only Rohit Sharma. Kohli was the first batter to cross the 4,000-run mark in the shortest format. His international retirement from T20Is, after winning the T20 World Cup, left him with 4188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, along with 38 50s and one 100 to his name.

Credit: India Today

As Sachin Tendulkar never really played this format internationally, it is impossible to compare him to Virat Kohli in this format. However, given that Kohli is one of the best, if not the best, players of this format and that Tendulkar’s game was never suited to be playing such a short format, it can be said that Kohli would definitely pip Tendulkar in this format even if he had a longer career.

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Statistics In ODIs

Player	Sachin Tendulkar	Virat Kohli
Matches	463	295
Runs	18426	13886
High Score	200*	183
Average	44.83	58.34
Strike Rate	86.23	93.52
100s	49	50
50s	96	72

Sachin Tendulkar is the leader in terms of ODI runs scored. He played 463 matches and scored 18,426 runs in this format, including 49 centuries. He was an amazing ODI player, and his stats show that. He even has a double hundred in this format, which he scored against South Africa on 24th February 2010. He became the first player ever to hit a double century in ODIs when he achieved this feat.

Credit: India TV News

Virat Kohli, however, matches Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliance in this format and does so beautifully. While his career was not as long as Tendulkar’s, he has already achieved some phenomenal records in ODIs. He is the third-highest run scorer in ODI history. He also became the first-ever cricketer to hit 50 centuries in this format, overtaking the Master Blaster’s record of 49. Kohli has an ODI average of 58.34 and a strike rate of 93.52, both of which are in excess of Tendulkar’s.

The debate between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in the ODI format is a topic that engages many cricket enthusiasts. While Tendulkar’s run tally is higher, Kohli’s career statistics, including an average of 58.34 and a strike rate of 93.52, arguably outshine Tendulkar’s. This comparison sparks a lively discussion, with some arguing that Kohli’s shorter career has already surpassed Tendulkar’s ODI legacy.

Statistics In Tests

Player	Sachin Tendulkar	Virat Kohli
Matches	200	113
Runs	15921	8848
High Score	248*	254*
Average	53.78	49.15
Strike Rate	54.04	55.56
100s	51	29
50s	68	30

When it comes to Test cricket, there is no point in comparing Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. The God of Cricket in this format was a force to be reckoned with and had enough batting prowess to singlehandedly win India games in this format. This is easily Tendulkar’s best format, and try as he may, Virat Kohli can simply never outshine Tendulkar in this department. Tendulkar scored 15,921 runs in his 200 Test matches, ending his illustrious Test career with an average of 53.78. He scored 51 centuries in this format, the most by any player in the history of Test cricket.

Which batsman can break Sachin Tendulkar's record of the most runs and most centuries in Test cricket? pic.twitter.com/SgxJa3wDPQ

— Suhana (@suhana18_) July 31, 2024

Virat Kohli is no slouch when it comes to Test cricket, having scored 8,848 runs in 113 matches himself and putting up an average of 49.15. While Virat Kohli is outstanding in every format, Test cricket is one place where Sachin Tendulkar really stands at the top. Tendulkar’s Test legacy is nearly impossible to surpass, and the King will have to concede defeat to the God in this format.

Conclusion

Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar have won both the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup. When it comes to batting, I personally think that while Sachin Tendulkar is simply untouchable when it comes to Test cricket, Virat Kohli is the better player in both T20Is and ODIs. Former England cricketer David Lloyd made a perfect statement in this debate.

He said that Sachin will always be picked over Kohli when it comes to Test cricket, but in an all-format XI, he would prefer to have the services of Virat Kohli. This makes sense as Kohli’s game is more versatile, and apart from T20I and ODI, he has also done quite well in Test cricket. As an overall cricketer, I feel Virat Kohli has done just enough to edge past Sachin Tendulkar.

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