MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli

Kohli's Test journey began on June 20, 2011, against the West Indies. From his debut onwards, Kohli displayed a remarkable blend of talent, tenacity, and hunger for runs. His ability to dominate bowlers in all conditions has earned him accolades from fans and experts alike. With a total of 8,848 runs in Test matches, including numerous centuries and double centuries, Kohli is the third highest run-scorer in the format for India, after Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

In contrast, Dhoni made his Test debut earlier, on December 2, 2005, against Sri Lanka. While he gained prominence as one of the finest limited-overs cricketers, Dhoni's contributions in Test Cricket should not be overlooked. Dhoni amassed 4,876 runs in Test matches, playing crucial innings for India in challenging situations.

In Test cricket, MS Dhoni led the Indian team in 60 matches, clinching victory in 27 games while enduring defeat in 18.

Contrastingly, Kohli assumed the captaincy role in 68 Test matches, emerging victorious in 40 and facing defeat in just 17. Kohli's exceptional winning percentage of 58.82% makes him one of the finest Test captains of all time.

Kohli made his ODI debut for India on August 18, 2008, against Sri Lanka. Since then, he has evolved into one of the most prolific batsmen in the history of ODI Cricket. He is the third-highest run-scorer of all time in the format, only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. Kohli has amassed 13848 runs in 404 ODIs at a remarkable average of 58.67. He has scored 50 centuries in the format, which is the most by any batsman.

Dhoni, on the other hand, made his ODI debut for India on December 23, 2004, against Bangladesh. He accumulated a total of 10,773 runs in 350 ODI matches, at an average of 50.57. This includes 10 centuries and 73 fifties.

Under Dhoni's leadership, India competed in 200 ODIs, emerging victorious in 110 while facing defeat in 74 matches. Dhoni's captaincy tenure was highlighted by landmark victories, including leading India to victory in the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest captains in ODI cricket history.

Kohli captained India in 95 ODIs, securing victories in 65 matches and suffering defeat in 27 encounters. Kohli's impressive win percentage of 68.42% underscores his impact as a leader.

MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have both enjoyed remarkable T20Is careers. Kohli made his T20I debut for India on June 12, 2010, in a match against Zimbabwe. From that moment on, he embarked on a journey that saw him emerge as one of the finest batsmen in the shortest format of the game. With his impeccable technique and remarkable consistency, Kohli has amassed a total of 4,037 runs at an average and strike rate of 51.75 and 138.15.

Dhoni, on the other hand, made his T20I debut much earlier, on December 1, 2006, against South Africa. Dhoni's T20I journey has been characterized by his astute leadership, lightning-quick glovework behind the stumps, and his finishing skills with the bat. Dhoni contributed significantly with the bat in India's T20I matches, scoring a total of 1,617 runs at a strike rate of 127.23, often playing small but crucial innings to take India over the winning line.

In T20Is, Dhoni led the Indian team in 72 matches, securing victory in 42 games while facing defeat in 28 games. His crowning achievement as captain came when he led India to victory in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, a historic triumph that marked a turning point in Indian cricket.

Kohli took charge as captain in 50 T20I matches. Under his leadership, India won 32 matches while facing defeat in 16 games. While Kohli may not have replicated Dhoni's World Cup glory in the T20 format, his tenure as captain showcased his tactical acumen and ability to inspire the team to notable victories.

Kohli is the IPL's highest run-getter. He is the only batsman to have crossed the 7000 runs mark in the IPL. Kohli has amassed 7,263 runs averaging 37.25 in 237 matches. He has a strike rate of 130.02.

Dhoni, on the other hand, is the seventh-highest run-scorer in IPL history. He has scored 5082 runs in 250 matches, at an average and strike rate of 38.79 and 135.91.

MS Dhoni has so far led CSK in 226 matches, clinching victory in 133 while facing defeat in 91. His leadership has been instrumental in guiding the CSK to five IPL titles, in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and most recently in 2023.

In contrast, Kohli's tenure as an IPL captain did not see as much success. Leading the side in 140 matches, Kohli managed to secure victory in 66 games while facing defeat in 70 encounters. Despite his individual brilliance, Kohli was not able to guide his team to an IPL title.