Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are two of the biggest names in international cricket when it comes to batting. Both have accumulated more than 10,000 runs in their long careers. One is retired, having served India for 24 years, while the other is still actively pursuing his mentor’s record. Sachin Tendulkar retired after an illustrious career, whereas Virat Kohli is striving to reach Tendulkar’s milestones.
It’s interesting to note that Virat Kohli is currently just 20 centuries away from reaching 100 international centuries. Speculation is rife that these centuries could come soon, given Kohli’s age of 35 and his current tally of 80 centuries. Comparing Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar is natural, given their superstar status and contributions to the game. But what were Sachin Tendulkar’s records when he was 35, and how do they compare with Virat Kohli’s records at the same age? Let’s examine the stats of both superstars and see what similarities we can find.
Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar ODI stats
If we look at Sachin Tendulkar’s record in ODIs at the age of 35, he had scored 16,361 runs at an average of 44.33. In contrast, Virat Kohli had scored 13,525 runs by the same age, but here’s the twist, Tendulkar played 407 ODI innings, while Kohli played 295 innings to date, scoring 13,906 runs at an average of 58. Kohli is steadily approaching 300 ODI games. Tendulkar made his debut at the age of 16 against Pakistan, whereas Virat Kohli made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2008.
Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar stats against Pakistan
Talking about archrivals Pakistan, it is interesting to note that Sachin Tendulkar made his debut against them. By the age of 35, Tendulkar had played 64 ODIs against Pakistan and amassed a remarkable 2,381 runs at an average of 39.68. During that time, there was a bilateral series ongoing, with numerous matches across Test and ODI formats. However, the intensity of these fixtures has gradually diminished.
In contrast, Virat Kohli has played only in multinational tournaments against Pakistan. At the age of 35, Kohli has played 16 ODIs against them, scoring 678 runs at an average of 52.15. Sachin Tendulkar had scored five centuries against Pakistan by the age of 35. In comparison, Kohli has scored hundreds in three out of his 16 innings against Pakistan. Also, Virat Kohli’s highest ODI innings (183) has been against Pakistan.
Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar overall runs
Now, the question is whether Virat Kohli can break all of Sachin Tendulkar’s records. Tendulkar, the Little Master, has amassed 34,283 international runs, while Kohli has accumulated 26,942 runs so far. It is intriguing to consider whether Kohli can carry forward the legacy and potentially break Tendulkar’s anticipated record of 100 international centuries or reach 30,000 runs. Ultimately, only time will tell, and we may find out in the coming years.