Joe Root v Virat Kohli

[srbhkshk]

I believe Kohli is the better overall batsman (taking into account all formats) but a lot of his test performances are helped by playing huge amounts of cricket at home - not sure if there has ever been a side which has played as much home cricket as current India, or which has players who have as large a percentage at home - and of course, playing against the lowly Lankans every other day.

Root is just about half level or a couple of West Indies series away from Kohli.

Just for context, Root has a total of 3 hundreds away. Kohli has 10.

 

[mr_mister]

yeah Kohli raised the bar pretty high with his 4 away tons down under back in 2015. How often has someone done that in Australia as a touring player?

 

[Shri]

I believe Kohli is the better overall batsman (taking into account all formats) but a lot of his test performances are helped by playing huge amounts of cricket at home - not sure if there has ever been a side which has played as much home cricket as current India, or which has players who have as large a percentage at home - and of course, playing against the lowly Lankans every other day.

He sucked at home tests when he started out tbf.

 

[vcs]

Kohli's 2017 is a microcosm of his overall Test career in a way. Wretched series against Australia, mostly brilliant otherwise. Very high peaks, and low troughs.

His ODI career is pretty consistent though, funnily enough.

 

[mr_mister]

but his away series against Australia he scored 4 tons? i dont get it

 

[Cow]

Virat Kohli's beard is impressive. He looks authoritative, stylish and still retains relative youthfulness. This is a difficult combination to manage when growing a beard.

That's my input on this discussion.

 

[Slifer]

Just for context, Root has a total of 3 hundreds away. Kohli has 10.

But Root still averages marginally more both away and overall. Therefore, it's still close between the two. Obviously, Steve Smith is the alpha.

 

[Spark]

but his away series against Australia he scored 4 tons? i dont get it

Those were some of the roadiest roads in history to be fair. Batted really well, but there were some biiiig totals posted in that series by both sides.

I think he was superb against SA though when he toured there.

 

[srbhkshk]

But Root still averages marginally more both away and overall. Therefore, it's still close between the two. Obviously, Steve Smith is the alpha.

of course, I myself think Root is the better batsman, I was just responding to the comment about how Kohli's record is built at home, while ignoring the same thing for Root.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Those were some of the roadiest roads in history to be fair. Batted really well, but there were some biiiig totals posted in that series by both sides.

I think he was superb against SA though when he toured there.

Yeah the ton in the first innings in Joburg was world class.

And tbf, the Adelaide second innings hundred counts as difficult conditions imo. It provided about as much turn and bounce on day 5 as any pitch I've seen in Australia in ages. The rest were definitely roads though.

 

[vcs]

Australia have been dishing out roady roads for a good 10 years now. Every now and again, you'll get a rainy Test like Hobart last year (or when NZ won in 2011) where the ball swings, and the D/N ones have been pretty interesting. Even Pakistan largely coped fine last year with the bat.

 

[Cow]

I think he was superb against SA though when he toured there.

As was Root

 

[Cow]

Australia have been dishing out roady roads for a good 10 years now. Every now and again, you'll get a rainy Test like Hobart last year (or when NZ won in 2011) where the ball swings, and the D/N ones have been pretty interesting. Even Pakistan largely coped fine last year with the bat.

So have India

 

[Spark]

As was Root

That's why I'd take Root in tough conditions.

 

[Spark]

So have India

Not for us they haven't. Made for good cricket, though.

 

[OverratedSanity]

The only home India series that had roads recently was against England. SL, NZ, Aus series all had sporting pitches and I don't need to talk about the ones SA got.

 

[morgieb]

The only home India series that had roads recently was against England. SL, NZ, Aus series all had sporting pitches and I don't need to talk about the ones SA got.

Yep.

Whereas the last three years in Australia have been roady mcroads except for possibly South Africa. 2011-2013 though was slightly different.

 

[vcs]

Not for us they haven't. Made for good cricket, though.

Could be mistaken, but I think he meant "India have also coped OK with the bat".

 

[Spark]

The only home India series that had roads recently was against England. SL, NZ, Aus series all had sporting pitches and I don't need to talk about the ones SA got.

I guess one criticism of sporting pitches is that, if one side isn't up to it, they get brutally exposed and it actually becomes pretty dreadful as a spectacle. Still, a risk worth taking to get a series like India/Aus earlier this year.

 

[ankitj]

So have India

Since start of 2015, India and Australia have produced results in same % of matches. Batting average in India however has been significantly lower than in Australia.

Host Country	Matches	Results	Tied	Draw	Ave	Result %
in England	21	20	0	1	31.77	95%
in India	19	15	0	4	31.33	79%
in Sri Lanka	17	17	0	0	30.77	100%
in Australia	14	11	0	3	39.46	79%
in New Zealand	12	10	0	2	33.48	83%
in South Africa	12	10	0	2	32.28	83%
in West Indies	12	9	0	3	30.19	75%
in Bangladesh	9	5	0	4	31.95	56%
in U.A.E.	8	7	0	1	32.88	88%
in Zimbabwe	6	5	0	1	36.23	83%