‘Tendulkar wasn’t as strong as Kohli’: de Villiers on India’s best Test batter debate

Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has sparked a debate about India's best Test batter by stating that Virat Kohli outperformed Sachin Tendulkar when it came to playing overseas. De Villiers, who himself is a prolific run-scorer, believes that Tendulkar set the benchmark for India's batting in away conditions, with an away average of 55 in 176 innings. However, Kohli, who retired from Tests in 2025 with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, raised that standard to a new level, averaging 41.85 in 68 matches away from home.

Tendulkar, with 15,921 Test runs to his name, remains the highest run-scorer in the format. De Villiers praised Tendulkar for showing that Indian batters could excel in challenging overseas conditions. Kohli, according to de Villiers, took that further, elevating the Indian batting performance overseas. The South African legend observed that players like KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal are now following in the footsteps of Kohli and Tendulkar, aiming to replicate their success in foreign grounds.

Rahul, currently averaging 34 away from home, faces the challenge of elevating his away performances. De Villiers urged the Indian captain to score bigger knocks, moving beyond occasional hundreds and striving to achieve consistently high scores. Padikkal, who scored his maiden Test hundred at No. 3, played a crucial role in India's 165-run victory against Sri Lanka in the Galle Test.