Comparing Rohit Sharma’s Test Stats with Virat Kohli’s Stats – Batting and Captaincy Records

Rohit Sharma's Test retirement prompts a look at his red-ball stats compared to Virat Kohli's, two key figures in India's recent success.

Comparing Rohit Sharma’s Test Stats with Virat Kohli’s Stats – Batting and Captaincy Records

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been an integral part of India's Test side, over the past decade. (via ESPN Cricinfo)

Two of India’s finest batters over the last two decades, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli could be credited for the Men in Blues’ recent successes in international cricket. With Sharma having announced his retirement from Test cricket, here is a look at the red-ball stats of the two Indian greats. 

Rohit Sharma most recently, ended his 11-year long red-ball career, in an Instagram retirement message. The 38-year-old retired, following intense criticism over his poor form in the longest format of the game. While penning his retirement message, he also thanked fans for their support and confirmed that he would continue to play in One Day Internationals, for the Men in Blue.

Sharma had replaced Virat Kohli as India’s Test captain in early 2022, following the team’s humiliating 1-2 Test series defeat to South Africa. Kohli’s tenure as captain, from 2014 to 2022, was marked by a period of significant dominance. The 36-year-old stepped down as India’s most successful Test captain, and the fourth-most successful globally, with a win percentage of 58.82.

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were part of the Indian team that held an unbroken record of not losing a Test series at home for 12 years, a streak that was recently ended by India’s 0-3 defeat to New Zealand. Therefore, it is indeed pertinent to compare the Test records of Kohli and the recently retired Sharma, two giants of Indian cricket.

Kohli’s red-ball career has been a more extensive one, and statistically superior to that of Rohit Sharma. Ex-Indian cricketer-turned commentator Aakash Chopra recently noted that Kohli’s Test career is more ‘glorious’, due to the significant number of matches he has played and the overall records he has broken. In 123 Tests, Kohli has scored 9230 runs, double that of Sharma’s tally of 4301 runs across 67 matches. 

Kohli enjoys a higher career average of 46.85, while Rohit Sharma had an average of 40.57 throughout his career. The former has registered 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his Test career, while the latter has 12 hundreds and 18 fifties to his name in red-ball cricket. Kohli also holds the record for the most double centuries by an Indian in Test cricket (7), compared to Sharma’s (1).

A deeper look into Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s captaincy statistics in Test cricket could shed light on their effectiveness in leading the red-ball side. Notably, both captains guided India to the World Test Championship final once each, but unfortunately, India did not win on either occasion. Kohli captained India in more Test matches (68), than Sharma (24).

Virat Kohli also enjoyed a higher win percentage of 58.82, compared to Rohit Sharma 50 percent win record. Kohli secured 40 wins, the most by any Indian Test captain, way ahead of Sharma’s 12 wins, highlighting his ever-lasting dominance in red-ball cricket. 

Virat Kohli shares ecstatic welcome message as RCB reunites with former star Mayank Agarwal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been forced to sign a new player, midway through the season, following an injury to Devdutt Padikkal that has ruled him out of IPL 2025. Mayank Agarwal has reunited with his former IPL franchise as a mid-season injury replacement.

Virat Kohli Mayank Agarwal
Virat Kohli welcomed Mayank Agarwal into the 2025 RCB side, as Devdutt Padikkal’s replcement. (via Instagram)

Speaking to RCB Bold Diaries, Virat Kohli welcomed Mayank Agarwal back into the team, 12 years since he last represented the franchise in 2013. Kohli noted that Agarwal did some special things for the team during his early IPL days, and was fearless while batting. The 36-year-old added that Agarwal gives his 120 percent, a quality that he noted during his days with the Karnataka star in the Indian team. 

Mayank Agarwal brings a wealth of experience to RCB in the 2025 IPL campaign, having scored 2661 runs in 127 matches in the competition. He did go unsold at the 2025 Mega Auction, but has been picked as an injury replacement.