Virat Kohli and Joe Root. The discussion around who scores over the other reached a crescendo last week when Michael Vaughan dug up stats of two of the world’s most premier batters and decided to roast Indian fans. Root is currently on a roll, ticking all the boxes, peeling off centuries for fun and inching close to Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most Test runs. Root is the closest anyone has come to eclipsing the Master Blaster in Tests, less than a year after Kohli beat the Little Master’s record for the most ODI hundreds. Once part of the Fab 4, Kohli and Root are still going strong, but the former England captain has managed to leave Kohli behind in Tests – and by quite some distance – over the last few years.
There is no doubt that Kohli is a better ODI and T20I player than Root, but in Tests, has some catching up to do. As Kohli and Root enter the final few years of their international careers, what a more opportune time than now to debate over who is the better batter between the two. That’s exactly the thought that must have crossed the minds of former Ashes rivals Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist. As the two sat down to share their honest opinions on the Kohli vs Root topic, Vaughan and Gilchrist agreed on most aspects, barring one right towards the end.
Below is how the conversation flowed on the Club Prairie Fire podcast
Vaughan: So in T20, we’re saying, Virat?
Gilchrist: Yeah. Better out of those two in T20s? Yeah, I’d take him.
Vaughan: In 50 overs, going Virat
Gilchrist: Yeah, absolutely
Vaughan: In Test cricket, going Joe. Yeah?
Gilchrist: In the last short while, definitely
Vaughan: So overall…
Gilchrist: Over a long period of time, Joe Root’s stats are, well, he is the best England have ever had.
Hosts: In Virat vs Joe Root vs Australia, who are you going with?
Gilchrist: In Australia, at the WACA, don’t think Joe has scored a hundred here
Vaughan: No, but he will
Gilchrist: Virat scored one of the best tons I’ve seen at the Perth Stadium in the first Test he played there. That was a totally different gravy. I’d probably say Virat.
Vaughan: I would argue with that… in Australia. I would say Virat in Australia against the Aussies and anywhere else, I am going Joe Root. Look at Joe Root’s record in India.
How Kohli in Australia stacks up against Root in India
Just to dwell on that last point, Kohli enjoys a far superior record in Australia – 1352 runs from 13 Tests at an average of 54.08 including six centuries. Root, meanwhile, has played a Test extra but has managed to score not more than 892 runs with not a single century.
Vaughan is confident that trivia and those stats will change when England tour Australia next year for the Ashes, just as he is proud to highlight Joe’s record in India, which stands at an impressive 1272 runs from 15 Tests and an average of 45.42 including three centuries.
