Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma

[Sean Bradley]

So heres a question for my Indian Cricket Fans.

 

In a battle of two of the modern ODI greats. Who do you think is a better ODI bat. 

 

Rohit Sharma is sheer talent while Virat Kohli epitome of grit and determination.

 

Virat Kohli is a fitness Icon while Rohit is raw physical strength.

 

I would say both are great and equal in terms of contributions to the Indian Cricket, but I would sum up saying that if Rohit Sharma had the discipline of Virat Kohli he would have been right up there sitting pretty along side the great Viv Richards as a greatest striker of the cricket ball.

 

 

[Lone Wolf]

Rohit like 5-6 times more talented... Like almost SRT esque but took off a lot later. 

 

Kohli clears him in LOIs in terms of achievements. 

Rohit perhaps slightly better in T20Is but Kohli has 2 MoS in WT20s as well. 

[Trichromatic]

Ever since Sharma started opening

 

Player	Span	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
V Kohli (IND)	2013-2023	189	180	30	9260	166*	61.73	9505	97.42	34	46	9	866	120
RG Sharma (IND)	2013-2023	169	166	20	8399	264	57.52	8825	95.17	29	41	8	820	282
S Dhawan (IND)	2013-2022	162	159	10	6724	143	45.12	7313	91.94	17	38	4	838	78
Q de Kock (SA)	2013-2023	146	146	7	6362	178	45.76	6600	96.39	19	30	4	735	103
JE Root (ENG)	2013-2023	162	152	23	6341	133*	49.15	7268	87.24	16	38	8	506	49
KS Williamson (NZ)	2013-2023	127	123	12	5660	148	50.99	6953	81.40	10	40	2	525	45
Babar Azam (PAK)	2015-2023	111	108	12	5474	158	57.02	6160	88.86	19	29	4	496	56
AJ Finch (AUS)	2013-2022	144	140	3	5386	153*	39.31	6119	88.02	17	30	16	532	129
DA Warner (AUS)	2013-2023	116	115	6	5348	179	49.06	5351	99.94	18	25	3	579	94
Mushfiqur Rahim (BAN)	2013-2023	147	139	21	5312	144	45.01	6134	86.59	8	37	2	422	73
LRPL Taylor (NZ)	2013-2022	120	116	25	5199	181*	57.13	6187	84.03	15	30	3	437	57
MJ Guptill (NZ)	2013-2022	131	130	13	5195	237*	44.40	5737	90.55	16	22	10	540	145
EJG Morgan (ENG)	2013-2022	159	146	17	5045	148	39.10	5314	94.93	10	30	12	423	169
SD Hope (WI)	2016-2023	118	113	15	4940	170	50.40	6425	76.88	15	24	5	401	82
JC Buttler (ENG)	2013-2023	171	144	26	4895	162*	41.48	4155	117.80	11	25	12	396	165
Tamim Iqbal (BAN)	2013-2023	125	122	11	4895	158	44.09	6282	77.92	11	32	7	532	56
F du Plessis (SA)	2013-2019	115	110	16	4885	185	51.96	5503	88.76	12	30	3	443	62
HM Amla (SA)	2013-2019	118	117	8	4884	159	44.80	5650	86.44	17	20	3	503	36
SPD Smith (AUS)	2014-2023	115	110	11	4739	164	47.86	5419	87.45	12	30	6	428	46
AB de Villiers (SA)	2013-2018	95	90	17	4402	176	60.30	3917	112.38	12	24	2	361	116
JJ Roy (ENG)	2015-2023	116	110	3	4271	180	39.91	4047	105.53	12	21	11	511	81
PR Stirling (IRE)	2013-2023	118	112	2	4175	162	37.95	4925	84.77	10	22	12	445	98
AD Mathews (SL)	2013-2023	132	119	27	4148	139*	45.08	5007	82.84	3	28	7	346	68
Sikandar Raza (ZIM)	2013-2023	136	129	20	4089	141	37.51	4727	86.50	7	21	3	338	102

[cricspirit]

Virat for his ODI exploits.  While Rohit's exploits are legendary as well I would still select Virat ahead of him in a crucial game. Rohit is better to watch when in flow and definitely has more natural talent.

 

However Virat overall has risen up the challenge more often. I can not let recency bias take over. Virat helped us chase many targets. There are other things good about him including fitness levels.

 

After Virat became captain and came off as arrogant his fan following declined a bit and more critics came out. 

 

 

[maniac]

Can’t compare as both have different roles. Kohli is expected to get set and then finish the job. Rohit is expected to get set and then go into Rozilla mode.both gun batsman and unarguably top 10 odi players of all time that India produced.

[Lord]

Kohli easily.

 

Rohit had to be promoted to open to be successful. Everyone lines up to open. 

 

In big games, Kohli is more reliable.

[putrevus]

Odis are made for Virat, he is perfect odi batsman.There is no other batsman in history who is better than Kohli in odis.

 

Sachin, Viv and any other batsman including Rohit is no match for Virat in odis.

[Lord]

7 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Odis are made for Virat, he is perfect odi batsman.There is no other batsman in history who is better than Kohli in odis.

 

Sachin, Viv and any other batsman including Rohit is no match for Virat in odis.

 

lets not go that far. Sachin would be a monster in current era of flat decks and poorer bowlers. Used to smash bowlers even on bowler friendly decks.

[IndiaWC8311]

This is a silly question. Kohli is top 2 greatest ever ODI bat. No comparison to Rohit who bats in the easiest position in ODI which is opening (similar to Tendulkar).

 

Indian ODI batsman

 

1. MSD 

2. Virat

3. Tendulkar / Rohit / Yuvi

 

Don't just look at stats. Look at positions where these guys bat. Lower middle order is the toughest position to bat in ODI cricket and number of amtch winning performances

 

[putrevus]

5 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

lets not go that far. Sachin would be a monster in current era of flat decks and poorer bowlers. Used to smash bowlers even on bowler friendly decks.

I don't think so, Sachin while great never had  Kohli's  ability in odis.

 

Sachin has one odi 100 against Australia in Australia that too in 2008.

 

Sachin has 38 odi 100s in Asia, this notion gthat he was so great in bowling friendly conditions in a myth.

[Lone Wolf]

8 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

lets not go that far. Sachin would be a monster in current era of flat decks and poorer bowlers. Used to smash bowlers even on bowler friendly decks.

Two new ball era.. No reverse...  Extended PP.   SRT would be a monster in this era.  Combine Rohit's talent with Kohli's commitment you get SRT. 

[Sean Bradley]

4 minutes ago, IndiaWC8311 said:

This is a silly question. Kohli is top 2 greatest ever ODI bat. No comparison to Rohit who bats in the easiest position in ODI which is opening (similar to Tendulkar).

 

Indian ODI batsman

 

1. MSD 

2. Virat

3. Tendulkar / Rohit / Yuvi

 

Don't just look at stats. Look at positions where these guys bat. Lower middle order is the toughest position to bat in ODI cricket and number of amtch winning performances

 

If Virat is sent as an opening batter, I don't think he can ever achieve feats like 3 double hundreds, what I am trying to say is both can't replicate each other's performance if swapped positions. I don't think rohit would have been able to master the art of chases like Virat. But on sheer batting talent, timing, power, impact on opposition, dominance, RS is head and shoulders above Virat.

[Lone Wolf]

2 minutes ago, putrevus said:

I don't think so, Sachin while great never had  Kohli's  ability in odis.

 

Sachin has one odi 100 against Australia in Australia that too in 2008.

 

Sachin has 38 odi 100s in Asia, this notion gthat he was so great in bowling friendly conditions in a myth.

That Aussie team was legendary...  Also SA decks of early 00's & mid 00's were spicy as hell even for ODIs..  Kohli Rohit failed badly in 2013 in SA ODIs when they encountered spicy decks reminiscing early decade. 

Qdk was having fun meanwhile against boobie Shami 

[Lord]

1 minute ago, putrevus said:

I don't think so, Sachin while great never had  Kohli's  ability in odis.

 

Sachin has one odi 100 against Australia in Australia that too in 2008.

 

Sachin has 38 odi 100s in Asia, this notion gthat he was so great in bowling friendly conditions in a myth.

 

Who says Asian conditions can't be bowling friendly? 1996 semis was a rank turner yet he was smashing everyone.

 

Kohli has one hundred in England only in 33 games. Such holes can be picked in anyone's career.

 

 

[cricspirit]

2 minutes ago, putrevus said:

I don't think so, Sachin while great never had  Kohli's  ability in odis.

 

Sachin has one odi 100 against Australia in Australia that too in 2008.

 

Sachin has 38 odi 100s in Asia, this notion gthat he was so great in bowling friendly conditions in a myth.

 

Have watched the entire career of both Sachin and Virat. Virat is not Sachin level in either Tests or ODI in my option. 

 

I know Virat has better stats and all but its hard to compared them and each of our opinion is Subjective. 

 

I do not mind Someone placing Virat above Sachin even if I personally dont think so. I appreciate both their achievements. 

 

 

[Majestic]

Definitely Kohli.

 

Rohit is also ATG but because he was poor in middle order for so long, he will be a level below Kohli.

 

 

[Lord]

4 minutes ago, Lone Wolf said:

That Aussie team was legendary...  Also SA decks of early 00's & mid 00's were spicy as hell even for ODIs..  Kohli Rohit failed badly in 2013 in SA ODIs when they encountered spicy decks reminiscing early decade. 

Qdk was having fun meanwhile against boobie Shami 

 

Also better batting support. Can't imagine Virat against McGrath and Wasim. 

[Lord]

Just now, Majestic said:

Definitely Kohli.

 

Rohit is also ATG but because he was poor in middle order for so long, he will be a level below Kohli.

 

 

 

Rohit is Indian ATG only.

[putrevus]

1 minute ago, Lone Wolf said:

That Aussie team was legendary...  Also SA decks of early 00's & mid 00's were spicy as hell even for ODIs..  Kohli Rohit failed badly in 2013 in SA ODIs when they encountered spicy decks reminiscing early decade. 

Qdk was having fun meanwhile against boobie Shami 

So you don't score against legendary attacks.Failing  in one odd series is natural for any batsman. Sachin has one odi 100 in NZ too .

 

The same Virat avg over 120  against SA in SA in 2018.

 

There is no one who minimized risk and built an odi innings at very decent SR than Kohli. Sachin at his best is no match for Kohli at his best anywhere in the world.

[Majestic]

2 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

Rohit is Indian ATG only.

In ODIs, Rohit is also ATG.