There comes a time in every sportsperson’s life when cracks begin to surface; the wheels start to come off. The aura of invincibility gradually fades, and an era of dominance slips into memory. For Virat Kohli, as with many greats before him, that moment seems to be now. Approaching 36, Kohli finds himself at a career crossroads: no longer in his prime, yet not quite ready to bow out. His once-consistent flow of runs has dwindled, and with it, that burning intensity we once knew. Yet, Kohli remains on the field, struggling to recapture his old form. He’s been dismissed uncharacteristically, and his once-frequent match-winning innings have become increasingly rare. This year, he has played only two innings of substance for India – scoring 76 against South Africa in Cape Town and again in the T20 World Cup final. Two half-centuries in 23 innings. The numbers speak for themselves.
Kohli’s slump in form has once again thrown open the ever-so-debated comparisons with Sachin Tendulkar, the man from whom he took the baton of Indian cricket to carry forward. The only difference this time is that the discussions are revolving around their struggles. While the two superstars of Indian cricket, icons of different eras, have enjoyed years of supremacy, both have, naturally, endured lean patches too. At the peak of their game, Kohli and Tendulkar operated on God-mode, but with age, slowing reflexes and the natural wear-and-tear of a legendary career, they began to appear more mortal. Their mode of dismissals, the frustrations after losing their wickets, and the subtle disconnect between their bodies and the shots they envision – all resonate with a familiar narrative.
A cursory glance at Tendulkar’s 24-year career reveals two distinct periods of batting struggles. The first came between 2005 and early 2007, when he fell prey to the dreaded ‘thirty-three curse’, a phase that seems to haunt even the most skilled batters. A year after battling a career-threatening tennis elbow injury, Tendulkar took time to rediscover his rhythm. During this stretch, from the 2003-04 to the 2007-08 season, his year-wise Test average dropped below 50 only twice – plummeting to 27.91 in 2005-06 and 33.16 in 2006-07. It was, and there’s no sugarcoating it, uncharacteristically ugly, as he often appeared to go into a shell, resorting to overly cautious batting and struggling to break free. The second difficult phase came after India’s 2011 World Cup victory, with tough outings in England and Australia marking the twilight of Tendulkar’s twilight years.
Who has struggled more?
Even at the peak of his Test struggles, Tendulkar’s performances never appeared as unconvincing as Kohli’s current form, now spanning over four years. Between 2011 and 2019, Kohli was a powerhouse, amassing 7202 runs in 84 Tests, but from 2020 onward, his stats have dropped significantly, totalling just 1833 runs in 33 matches. Kohli has largely stuck to the methods that have worked throughout his career, relying on a classic style with minimal innovation. In contrast, Tendulkar frequently adapted his game, often surprising opponents with something new. When back troubles began to affect him in 1999, he switched to a lighter bat and introduced the paddle sweep to his game. Later, he mastered the upper-cut, adding a reliable weapon to his arsenal that he played with repeated success.
In 2002 and again the 2003-04 season, Tendulkar went through two series where there were instances he simply couldn’t get himself to score a single run. In a five-Test series against the West Indies, he recorded three ducks, yet still managed scores of 79, 117, and 86. Fast forward two years in Australia, he started with just 82 runs in his first five innings but ultimately finished with 383 runs across eight. Who can forget Sydney 2004? His 241* at the SCG remains a masterclass in discipline and self-restraint. By comparison, Kohli’s approach has been different. While his style has worked for him historically, he may need to reassess whether sticking rigidly to it is wise, especially now when it seems less effective.
Another striking similarity between Kohli and Tendulkar is how they limited playing big shots as their careers progressed. When Tendulkar entered his mid-30s, between 2007 and 2011 – where Kohli is now – he was still a force, becoming the first player to score an ODI double century, racking up multiple hundreds in challenging overseas conditions like South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, and bolstering his home record – from 2007 to 2013, Tendulkar amassed 2299 runs in 34 matches, averaging 47.89 with six centuries and 13 fifties. For Kohli, however, the story is different. From 2020 onward, Kohli’s home record reads 773 runs from 15 Tests at an average of 32.3, his last century in a SENA nation was back in 2018, and he’s managed only two Test centuries in the last four years: 186 against Australia in Ahmedabad and 121 against the West Indies in Port of Spain. All signs point to a decline that feels more pronounced and challenging for Kohli.
Virat Kohli’s tactics nothing like Sachin Tendulkar’s
Tendulkar constantly found ways to break himself out of the chains that strangled him. Kohli surprisingly hasn’t. The chinks in his armour today are the same as they were four years ago. Pacers love to have a go at him outside off, and spinners can’t help but smack their lips on Indian pitches. Kohli has perished to spinners 69 times in Tests; Sachin 62 in 200 matches. Do the math. Another element of the Kohli vs Tendulkar comparison is how many times they have been overwhelmed by bowlers, often revealed in their facial expressions. Kohli’s dismissals to Mitchell Santner, marked by looks of helpless disbelief, echo moments when Tendulkar would drop to his haunches after being bowled by a ball that stayed unexpectedly low, or when he first appeared vulnerable against the sheer pace of Shoaib Akhtar. Again… in 2006.
Kohli is a far superior white-ball batter. Some of the innings he has played – Hobart, Adelaide, Dhaka, Mohali demonstrate sheer mastery. As for who between Tendulkar and Kohli played against a deadlier attack, let’s just say that Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Adam Zampa, and Nathan Lyon are no lesser bowlers than the ones Tendulkar played most of his cricket against. Two new balls may have made it easier for batters today but even with that advantage, completing 50 ODI centuries in 2023 is a freak achievement by Kohli. Regarding pure skill though, Tendulkar’s only peer was Brian Lara. Even Kohli has acknowledged that Sachin was the most complete batter of all time, a sentiment shared by many. And there’s no debating that.
When Tendulkar was nearing 36, he played some of the most entertaining cricket of his career. In Tests alone, Tendulkar scored 103 to help India chase down 387 against England in Chennai and crafted a stunning knock of 160 in Hamilton, which gave India their first Test win in New Zealand after 33 years, followed by back-to-back Test centuries in South Africa within ayear. Kohli, meanwhile, is scratching and clawing to dig himself out of a hole as India look to embark on two big Test series – in Australia and England over the next 10 months. Only he can arrest this slide.
