Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma – Who is Better? Batting and Captaincy Comparison

Both V. Kohli and R. Sharma were Under-19 stars earmarked for bigger things. Rohit won the T20 World Cup with India in 2007, a year before Kohli even got his first cap. But it was Kohli that quickly became an integral part of India’s batting line-up, and the leader of a new generation. It was Kohli that helped India win a World Cup on home soil in 2011, and then established himself as the best all-format batter in the world after taking over the Test captaincy from Dhoni.

Rohit took much longer to become part of the XI in each format, and though he smashed a host of white-ball batting records – including for the highest score in ODIs (264) – it’s only in the last half-decade that he’s become a regular on the Test team. Virat and Rohit together won the T20 World Cup 2024. Make your fantasy cricket team on Howzat in the upcoming exciting cricket series.

Here, we compare Rohit and Virat across all formats (Test, ODIs, and T20) and see who has left a bigger imprint on Indian cricket history.

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma in Test Cricket

This is one area where there simply isn’t any comparison. Rohit has excelled in recent times, while Kohli’s form slumped a little since 2019, but there’s a world of difference in their overall Test career numbers. Kohli has played more than twice as many matches (113 to 59), scored 5,700 more runs, and made 29 centuries in the longest format of the game with an average just a touch under 50.

Virat vs Rohit Stats Comparison in Test

Rohit has made 12 hundreds in Tests, though, tellingly only 2 of them have come outside India. His career average of 45.46 is built largely on an incredible home record. In 29 Tests in India, he averages 61.58. Kohli, who has 15 away hundreds, including 6 in Australia, averages 60.05 at home.

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma in ODIs

The debate is a much closer one in the 50-overs format. Rohit has crossed 200 on 3 occasions, including that incredible 173-ball 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014. Kohli’s highest score is 183, but his average is a frankly stupendous 58.18 after 283 innings. Rohit averages an imposing 49.16, but that’s still 9 runs an innings less than Kohli.

When it comes to strike-rate too, Kohli slightly nudges ahead, scoring nearly 1 run more per 100 balls – 93.54 to 92.43. Both players have saved their best for the most dominant team in ODI history, with 8 hundreds each against Australia.

Virat vs Rohit Stats Comparison in ODI

Virat vs Rohit in T20Is

In T20 cricket, Rohit and Virat are considered two of the all-time greats. This is the format where Rohit has had so much success in the Indian T20 League, but when it comes to international cricket, Kohli is once again the dominator. Kohli has scored runs at a better average, and with more 50-plus scores. Rohit has scored more centuries, and a slightly better strike rat

At first glance, you might think otherwise, given that Rohit has a record 5 international hundreds in T20s, compared to Kohli’s one. But Virat Kohli’s average is way superior – 48.69 to 32.05. Rohit has a marginally better strike rate, but Kohli’s consistency has been nothing short of mind-boggling. Kohli was player of the tournament at the T20 World Cup in both 2014 and 2016.

R. Sharma vs V. Kohli Stats Comparison in T20Is

Virat vs Rohit Stats Comparison in IPL

V. Kohli, despite holding the single-season record for the most runs (973 in 2016), has never won the Indian T20 League title, while Rohit has led the Mumbai team to the trophy on 5 occasions since 2013.