Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli: The debate over the greatest ODI batter
On 2026-09-29 Khel Now published a feature weighing Sachin Tendulkar against Virat Kohli for the title of greatest One-Day International batter, as Kohli’s continued elite-level form has intensified comparisons between the two players.
Both men captained India in different eras and are widely regarded among the game’s premier run-scorers, but the question of who is the more complete ODI batter remains unresolved. The article notes Tendulkar’s dominant role for India through the 1990s and early 2000s and highlights that his international career spanned more than two decades. It also states that there were periods when India’s side was weak, internal controversies affected the dressing room and fans would reportedly switch off the television when Tendulkar was dismissed. Those circumstances, the piece argues, left Tendulkar carrying a struggling Indian team.
The write-up contrasts the conditions Tendulkar faced, saying he played against celebrated bowling attacks on uncovered pitches with stricter fielding rules and in an era when team totals were generally lower. It records Tendulkar’s ODI average of 44 against Australia, whose attack included Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. The article adds that Tendulkar began as an all-rounder in the lower middle order, took 154 wickets before specialising as a batsman and holds the record for the most half-centuries in ODI cricket, often finishing in the nervous 90s.
On Virat Kohli, the piece emphasises his record in run chases: 30 ODI centuries while chasing and 25 of those innings ended in Indian victories, an 83.3 per cent success rate. It states Kohli has accumulated 6,374 runs in successful ODI run chases at an average of more than 90, and that 42.3 per cent of his ODI runs have come in successful chases. Those figures are presented as central evidence for Kohli’s reputation as a chase specialist.
The article notes Kohli succeeded Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India’s captain and led the side from 2017 to 2021, a spell it describes as reasonably successful, while stating Tendulkar was never regarded as a strong leader. It also points out Kohli made his senior international debut as T20I cricket was growing in prominence and that the shorter format became a staple of international schedules, concluding that matching Tendulkar’s ODI achievements in the modern era would be notable.
A direct statistical comparison follows: Kohli reached 15,000 international runs in 303 innings at an average of over 59, whereas Tendulkar reached the same milestone in 377 innings at an average of 44.24. The piece records Tendulkar’s ODI aggregate of 18,426 runs and lists Kohli’s tally as 15,080 runs.
The article closes by stating both players contributed to India’s rise in world cricket across different periods, that fans have been fortunate to witness both careers, and that declaring one definitively superior would be unfair — leaving the ultimate judgement to supporters.
