Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli: Career Stats, Captaincy, and Who’s the Better Batsman?

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are both among the current crop of Indian cricketing legends, and both will certainly be regarded as legends of the game at the end of their careers. Both batsmen have displayed their phenomenal talents and made a significant contribution to the Indian cricket team.

Rohit made his international debut in June 2007. Little did we all know, this would be the beginning of an incredible cricketing journey for Sharma. Virat Kohli started his international career in August 2008. Kohli quickly made that debut with the intent of being a wrecking ball.

Today, we will delve into their career statistics and figure out why they are the big players in the world of cricket. Here is the complete comparison between Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli. 

Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli: Personal Profiles & Career

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are two of the biggest names in Indian cricket history. They debuted for India around the same time and played regularly ever since. In this Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli comparison, we will take a look at a lot of aspects, but first, let’s have a look at the personal profiles of both Indian stalwarts. 

Rohit Sharma

• Full Name: Rohit Gurunath Sharma
• Debut: 2007 (ODI), 2013 (Test), 2007 (T20I)
• Role: Right-handed opening batsman

Rohit Sharma is known for elegant timing and the ability to score big hundreds in ODI cricket. Rohit started his career as a middle-order batsman, but Dhoni promoted him to open for India, and he hasn’t looked back since. His transformation led to some of the best explosive performances we’ve seen in ODI cricket history. 

Virat Kohli

• Full Name: Virat Kohli
• Debut: 2008 (ODI), 2011 (Test), 2010 (T20I)
• Role: Right-handed top-order batsman

He is known for his consistency, aggressive batting style, and unmatched hunger for runs in all formats. Kohli is regarded as one of the fittest cricketers in the modern era. His ability to chase down any target in any format of the game sets him apart from the rest. 

Batting Records Comparison

Now, let’s look at the batting records of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma over different formats. Have a look. 

Rohit Vs Virat Stats in Test Cricket

Let’s look at how both batsmen compare in the longest format of the game. 

From the stats listed above, we can see that Virat has more runs than Rohit. The reason behind this is that Rohit played almost half the number of matches as Virat. Rohit still has an impressive batting record in Test matches. Both players retired from Test cricket just recently, so these records are not going to improve over time. 

Virat Vs Rohit Stats in ODI Cricket

In the ODI format, both Rohit and Kohli have an impressive batting record. Both players have different play styles, and that is what makes them geniuses in their own way. Have a look at the stats of both players in the ODI. 

You can see from the above table, both players are evenly matched and have completed 10,000 ODI runs in their careers. Virat’s records are slightly better than Rohit but that does not matter as long as both keep performing for India. In the past few years, Rohit has had a better batting record than anyone else in the country. He has made runs everywhere, including the ICC tournaments. He even has more than one double century as well. Check out the list of centuries by Rohit Sharma in all formats of the game. 

Rohit Vs Virat Stats in T20I Cricket

In the T20I format, Virat and Rohit are neck and neck with each other. Their stats are almost similar. Have a look. 

The stats of both players are almost similar, with Rohit Sharma playing a few more matches than Rohit. After the T20I World Cup 2024 victory in the West Indies, both players announced their retirements from T20I cricket. 

Virat Vs Rohit Stats in Indian Premier League 

When it comes to Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Virat is ahead by a big margin. Have a look. 

As you can see, both players have played almost the same number of matches; however, Virat Kohli has aggregated almost 1500 more runs than Rohit Sharma. He even has more centuries than Rohit in the IPL. You can check out the list of centuries by Virat Kohli in this article. 

Captaincy Records

We’ve seen the Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli battle when it comes to batting prowess, now it’s time to take a look at the captaincy records of both players. The pair of Kohli and Rohit has given us a lot when it comes to making India win. Have a look. 

Rohit Sharma has been praised for his calm captaincy, especially in white ball cricket. While Virat Kohli is credited with building a highly competitive Test team and bringing fast bowling to the forefront of the new India. Under his leadership, India has emphasized fast bowling and making sure that we are competing with the top talents in the world. 

Popularity and Fan Following

Both players enjoy immense popularity in India and have a massive fan following on various social media platforms. Here is a quick look at their social media presence. 

As you can see from the list, both players have a massive social media fan following. Kohli enjoys a global reach due to his brand appeal and charisma. On the other hand, Rohit has a loyal fan base, especially in India. 

Conclusion

So, who won in the battle of Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli? 

Well, it’s a tough call because both players have contributed enough to Indian cricket to be called greats of the game. Kohli has the edge if you measure consistency and chasing under pressure as your metrics. However, if you value impactful big innings and captaincy in crunch games, then Rohit has a distinct advantage. 

Both players have led Indian cricket with distinction and continue to be game changers for us. The answer to this question cannot be summarized in a binary way – it’s their combined brilliance that makes them modern Indian cricketing legends. 

What do you think about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? Do let us know in the comments below.