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Virat Kohli Or Sachin Tendulkar? Joe Root Ends The Debate With His Choice

Jatin

Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar [Source: @sachinyuvifan, @ICC/x.com]Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar [Source: @sachinyuvifan, @ICC/x.com]

Ask any cricket fan to pick between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli and you will probably start a never-ending debate. One is the God of Cricket, the other the King.

Joe Root Picks Sachin Tendulkar Over Virat Kohli In Cricket’s Greatest Debate

One carried Indian cricket for over two decades, the other redefined batting in the modern era. But when England’s batting maestro Joe Root was put in that very spot, he didn’t hesitate.

In a game of ‘This or That’ with the Barmy Army, Root had to choose between legends like Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara and finally, between Tendulkar and Kohli. His answer was short and sharp: “Sachin.” And just like that, the fire in the greatest-ever debate got fresh fuel.

Root’s choice is hardly shocking if you look at the numbers. Sachin Tendulkar’s stats are like a mountain nobody has climbed. A mind-boggling 34,357 international runs across Tests and ODIs, backed up by 100 centuries, the kind of tally that makes even modern-day giants look small. From Sharjah to Sydney, his bat set the gold standard for batting greatness.

Kohli’s Chase For Greatness

Yet, Virat Kohli's stats aren’t far behind. With 27,599 runs and the most centuries in ODIs, he has created a legacy of his own. He averages higher than Sachin in ODIs and for years was the undisputed chase master. The catch? Kohli has already retired from Tests and T20Is, which means he is unlikely to topple Sachin’s colossal mountain of runs.

Joe Root’s Career

Interestingly, Root himself is now part of this story. At 34, he sits second on the list of all-time Test run scorers with 13,543, having recently gone past Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting. The only man ahead is Sachin Tendulkar with 15,921. Root still trails by 2,378 runs, but the chase is alive.

Tendulkar vs Kohli: A Debate That Will Never End

Root picked Sachin, but the fans won’t stop arguing anytime soon. Is Tendulkar’s weight of numbers unmatched? Or does Kohli’s consistency and impact in the modern game give him the edge?

The truth is that both are once-in-a-lifetime batters who left bowlers scratching their heads and fans gasping for more. For Root, though, there was no confusion: the Master-Blaster still wears the crown.