Virat Kohli Always Ahead Of Rohit Sharma In ODIs, Ex India Star Explains Why

Two of the greatest players to grace the stage of one-day cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, are absolute legends in white-ball cricket. Though both have extraordinary numbers in the format, there remain a few things that separate them from each other. While Kohli is often celebrated for his unmatched consistency and "chase-master" status, Rohit is renowned for his ability to deliver explosive and match-defining innings starts. Since the start of their careers, however, it's Kohli who has sort of maintained a lead over Rohit in terms of statistics. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has explained why that is the case.

In terms of sheer numbers, Kohli does beat Rohit by some distance. While the former averages about 59 in the ODI format, the latter has scored runs at an average of about 49. In terms of centuries, there's literally no one better than Kohli, who has recorded a whopping 53 tons to his name in the format, while Rohit has recorded 33. For Kaif, this is where Kohli beats Rohit.

"Virat Kohli converts starts. A score of 30 or 40 means he will stay till the end, win the match, and if he gets into form, become consistent. That is why, in ODI cricket, Virat Kohli has always been ahead of Rohit Sharma," Kaif said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

It's the mentality that also draws a line between the two Indian stalwarts. For Kohli, it is always about converting starts into big knocks. Scoring hundreds is the norm for Kohli, and he isn't satisfied if he doesn't do so. For Rohit, as an opener, it is all about laying a strong foundation.

"Kohli consistently scores runs and plays big innings. You can see it when Virat Kohli got out in the first ODI; he was shaking his head, thinking he played a wrong shot," Kaif said.

While their journeys might have been slightly different from each other, both Kohli and Rohit have only one target in their hearts - to win the 2027 ODI World Cup for India. 

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Mohammad Kaif Cricket