- June 26, 2025
Whenever there is a Test series between England and India, there are bound to be fireworks. But this time, it is not just a matter of bouncers and boundaries; it is also bragging rights between two of the modern greats, Joe Root and Virat Kohli. Kohli has just packed away his Test shoes for the last time, and Root is still quietly accumulating runs. The debate around who is better has ignited again, and now some of England’s biggest cricketing voices, Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, David “Bumble” Lloyd, and Phil Tufnell, have entered the ring to determine who is better (sort of). Spoiler alert – it got a bit tasty.
Run Machines and Big-Match Kings
In the battle of the bat, the ex-England players agreed that, for run scoring, especially in Test cricket, Root has the edge. You can’t argue with that – 13,087 Test runs at an average of above 50 is utterly ridiculous. But change the perspective to all formats, and suddenly it swings to King Kohli.
Why? Simply put, Kohli’s numbers are insane. Over 24,000 international runs, 100+ half-centuries, 80+ centuries, and by the time we reach the form of his years, he’ll have a few more. The guy really does turn up when chips are down. In the “big-match situations” category, all 3 of the panelists said Virat without a second thought. Whether it’s a knockout match in the World Cup or a chase of 370 in a white-ball belter, Kohli is the guy you’d bet your last samosa on. Root’s class will forever be there, but Kohli eats that pressure like it’s his morning chai!
Leadership: More Than Just the Armband
This one might hurt some Root fans, but with Captain, Kohli won again in a clean sweep. Vaughan is never one to shy away from having an opinion, and he accepted that Kohli was a huge influence on India’s Test culture. And to be honest, it’s very hard to argue with that.
India didn’t just win games, but they became an aggressive team, in-your-face. A team that could find competition in Australia, England, and more! His energy was contagious, his belief unquestionable. Yes, he flipped some people the wrong way, but he made India believe they could win anywhere. Since he left? Let’s just say India is not quite the same aura.
Root was a stabilizer. During his time as England captain, he had some excellent personal form, but as a team, they did not always deliver. Stylish? Yes. Assertive? Not always.
Consistency is Root’s Silent Superpower
If there was one category where Root reinstitutes the crown, it is consistency. As Alastair Cook said, “I can’t remember Joe ever having a dip.” Even in the chaos (post-2019 if you’re interested) that was England, Root was still averaging over 50-plus quietly, and expelling his runs as if they were in some Yorkshire assembly line.
Kohli, on the other hand, is a poster boy for well-known slumps—2014 in England, the century dry spell from 2020 to 2022, and fits and starts in terms of returns in Test series. Of course, his lows are pretty good relative to most people, but relative to Root, his stability is almost robotic. He doesn’t get any headlines for making a big deal of celebrations; he lets the scoreboard do the talking, and it speaks fluent cricket.
Oh, and if we haven’t said it already, Root just had another important knock. A comfortable unbeaten 53 under duress chasing 371 in the fourth innings in Leeds. Classic Joe. No bells, no whistles, just impact.
While legends like Vaughan and Cook weighed in with their selections, perhaps the real takeaway is this: we have been fortunate to enjoy both. As the 2025 series continues and Root continues to add to his legacy, fans might forget the charisma Kohli brought to the pitch. But perhaps his rivalry, even if off the field, flourishes all the more.
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