Will Kohli retire as a top 5 Indian batter in tests?

[putrevus]

2 hours ago, Nileshkohli said:

Do u think he is better than sunny g in test?

No he was not, I forgot Sunny. Sunny has a case of being best test batsman from India.He also had no support from his team mates.

 

Overall in all formats Kohli is way ahead.Kohli's slide is inexplicable, I have not seen anyone of his class just disappear overnight never to regain his form for 3-4 years.

[rkt.india]

14 hours ago, putrevus said:

Kohli is better than everyone else other than Sachin and Dravid. He is the greatest odi batsman so his legacy as batsman is far superior to anyone else other than Sachin.

 

Kohli was a victim of lack of support unlike Dravid and Sachin who played in one of the strongest batting lineups which always stunk under pressure.

What lack of support? His good test performances barely spanned 4 years. Averaging 30 since 2020. Tendulkar also lacked support in the 90s but his own performance was great. Lack of support argument doesn't stand because his own performance was poor. Even Pujara averages 50 once before he also declined like Kohli. Kohli, Pujara, rahane all started declining together. 

[New guy]

17 hours ago, putrevus said:

Kohli is better than everyone else other than Sachin and Dravid. He is the greatest odi batsman so his legacy as batsman is far superior to anyone else other than Sachin.

 

Kohli was a victim of lack of support unlike Dravid and Sachin who played in one of the strongest batting lineups which always stunk under pressure.

Did you check sachins average and achievements even before dravid made his debut? Just take a look. 

 

Sachin would have died to have someone like Pant in the team who won matches in the lower order. India would have have win everything in sachins time with one Pant and one Bumrah.

[Ultimate_Game]

On 5/30/2025 at 12:57 AM, rkt.india said:

What lack of support? His good test performances barely spanned 4 years. Averaging 30 since 2020. Tendulkar also lacked support in the 90s but his own performance was great. Lack of support argument doesn't stand because his own performance was poor. Even Pujara averages 50 once before he also declined like Kohli. Kohli, Pujara, rahane all started declining together. 

 

22 hours ago, New guy said:

Did you check sachins average and achievements even before dravid made his debut? Just take a look. 

 

Sachin would have died to have someone like Pant in the team who won matches in the lower order. India would have have win everything in sachins time with one Pant and one Bumrah.

 

Kohli is lucky that he played with likes of Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin, Axar, Sundar and a pace attack consisting of Shami & Bumrah else he would've been kicked out years ago. Our lower order and bowling has been covering the lack of performance by Kohli and middle order. Kohli hasn't won one single Away Test. It says a lot that Indian team actually improved when he dropped out of BGT in 2020-21 and Eng series in 2023.

 

Tendulkar or others never had the same level of support from pace bowling or lower order. Our tail started at no. 6 with a useless wkt keeper and 4-5 spineless tailenders. Anyone remember the Chennai Test against Pak where Tendulkar scored a 100 and the last 4-5 wkts fell in a heap with barely 20 runs to get? In Kohli's case the team, especially the lower order and bowlers carried him. Last 5 years Kohli averaged 30 and doing nothing. Other than a 3-4 year peak he was ordinary in Tests and never amounted to anything outside of India. Not even a single match-defining innings away from home says it all. Plus we all saw what he did in 2 WTC finals - laid an egg whenever time came for him to actually do something.

 

Kohli - King in name but not in deed. Held Indian team back and the reason India lost at home to NZ for the first time in their history and dropped BGT in more than a decade.

Edited May 31, 2025 by Ultimate_Game

[cricspirit]

How do we still debate Kohli and Tendulkar for Tests. 

 

This thread is a NO. Virat has retired and is not top 5 Indian batter.

[rkt.india]

On 5/31/2025 at 11:40 PM, cricspirit said:

How do we still debate Kohli and Tendulkar for Tests. 

 

This thread is a NO. Virat has retired and is not top 5 Indian batter.

He for sure is top five. 

 

SRT

Gavaskar

dravid

Sehwag

Kohli

 

There is a tight contest between laxman, Kohli. We don't have many great test batsmen.

[Nileshkohli]

Sachin 

sunny 

dravid 

kohli 

sehwag 

[kepler37b]

On 5/31/2025 at 10:46 AM, Ultimate_Game said:

 

 

Kohli is lucky that he played with likes of Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin, Axar, Sundar and a pace attack consisting of Shami & Bumrah else he would've been kicked out years ago. Our lower order and bowling has been covering the lack of performance by Kohli and middle order. Kohli hasn't won one single Away Test. It says a lot that Indian team actually improved when he dropped out of BGT in 2020-21 and Eng series in 2023.

 

Tendulkar or others never had the same level of support from pace bowling or lower order. Our tail started at no. 6 with a useless wkt keeper and 4-5 spineless tailenders. Anyone remember the Chennai Test against Pak where Tendulkar scored a 100 and the last 4-5 wkts fell in a heap with barely 20 runs to get? In Kohli's case the team, especially the lower order and bowlers carried him. Last 5 years Kohli averaged 30 and doing nothing. Other than a 3-4 year peak he was ordinary in Tests and never amounted to anything outside of India. Not even a single match-defining innings away from home says it all. Plus we all saw what he did in 2 WTC finals - laid an egg whenever time came for him to actually do something.

 

Kohli - King in name but not in deed. Held Indian team back and the reason India lost at home to NZ for the first time in their history and dropped BGT in more than a decade.

[cricspirit]

On 6/2/2025 at 10:55 PM, rkt.india said:

He for sure is top five. 

 

SRT

Gavaskar

dravid

Sehwag

Kohli

 

There is a tight contest between laxman, Kohli. We don't have many great test batsmen.

 

I will take Laxman over Virat. Just do not trust Virat to dig me out of anything in tests. Virat had a very good purple patch and averages a bit better than Laxman but I still take Laxman. Also love to watch Laxman bat compared to not so attractive Kohli.

 

VVS Was consistent and contributed well almost till retirement. He was not that great in the beginning but got better with time. Laxman also averages better in Wins than Virat.

 

We have not been able to replace a middle order batter like him since he retired. 

 

Virat on the other hand... Top order player with similar average but declined after a purple patch. Averages just 30 this decade since start of 2020. That is a very long decline.

 

 

 

 

I would say people can make a case for Virat to squeeze into top 5 but he will not be a sure shot by most people or experts. 

 

I also think Azhar was an excellent player, great to watch. Some people can make a case for him.

 

People can try Vengsarkar, Pujara, Viswanath, Amarnath as well.

 

Once Kohli declined the way he did, he lost his greatness spot in tests in my humble opinion. An average closer to 50 and few better years to retirement would have sealed his spot. 

 

Edited June 4, 2025 by cricspirit

[cricketfan28]

Decline was very steep, so sad!

[rkt.india]

17 hours ago, cricspirit said:

 

I will take Laxman over Virat. Just do not trust Virat to dig me out of anything in tests. Virat had a very good purple patch and averages a bit better than Laxman but I still take Laxman. Also love to watch Laxman bat compared to not so attractive Kohli.

 

VVS Was consistent and contributed well almost till retirement. He was not that great in the beginning but got better with time. Laxman also averages better in Wins than Virat.

 

We have not been able to replace a middle order batter like him since he retired. 

 

Virat on the other hand... Top order player with similar average but declined after a purple patch. Averages just 30 this decade since start of 2020. That is a very long decline.

 

 

 

 

I would say people can make a case for Virat to squeeze into top 5 but he will not be a sure shot by most people or experts. 

 

I also think Azhar was an excellent player, great to watch. Some people can make a case for him.

 

People can try Vengsarkar, Pujara, Viswanath, Amarnath as well.

 

Once Kohli declined the way he did, he lost his greatness spot in tests in my humble opinion. An average closer to 50 and few better years to retirement would have sealed his spot. 

 

Agree, his poor form kept going too long and very poor average, not suited to a great of the game.