Breaking records in cricket is like scaling towering peaks in a long, arduous journey—each achievement by one player sets a new summit for another to conquer. The sport has long thrived on this cycle of records being made and broken, with players constantly pushing the boundaries of excellence. Consider Virat Kohli, who eclipsed Sachin Tendulkar’s benchmark for most ODI centuries in 2023 with a notable century (117) during Team India’s triumphant ICC ODI World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, a remarkable achievement once deemed unattainable. On a similar context, with his remarkable consistency in Test cricket, particularly in the last four years, England’s Joe Root is on the cusp of surpassing Tendulkar’s unprecedented tally of 15,921 Test runs. Just as Virat Kohli broke Tendulkar’s longstanding record of 49 ODI hundreds during the 2023 World Cup, Root’s pursuit of Tendulkar’s Test run tally is emblematic of how records in cricket are not static but dynamic.
Previously tipped to eclipse Tendulkar’s test aggregate of 15921 runs, India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli, has been facing significant challenges in the red ball arena for the past few years. The Bangladesh series marked Virat Kohli’s return to Test cricket after a seven-month hiatus, but his unimpressive scores especially in the Chennai Test, reignited concerns about his performance in the format over the past few years, particularly in comparison to fellow “Fab Four” members Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson. Kohli’s Test average has now decreased from mid-50s to 48.89 at the end of the Kanpur Test (source : ESPNCricinfo), the lowest among the “Fab Four”, a moniker popularized by the late Martin Crowe to describe the exceptional modern-day batting quartet of Kohli, Root, Smith, and Williamson.
Brad Hogg, a former Australian cricketer and chinaman bowler, had raised concerns about Virat Kohli’s capacity to exceed Sachin Tendulkar’s benchmark. A few days ago, Hogg had analyzed Tendulkar’s Test run total alongside Kohli and Joe Root, in a video on his YouTube channel, and remarked –
“I just don’t think Virat is going to get there,” said Hogg. “I think he’s lost his momentum, and the momentum that he’s lost has been for a number of years now. He’s got to turn around in the next 10 Test matches, or he’s going to drop off.”
“So, Joe Root has (played) 146 Test matches with 12,000 (12402) runs. Sachin Tendulkar made nearly 16,000 (15,921) runs in 200 Test matches. That’s 4,000 runs in 66 Tests. I think Joe Root can go close to toppling that,” Hogg added.
“Watch out, Joe Root is on the move to beat Sachin Tendulkar! I think quietly he’ll have that in the back of his mind to try and topple that little unique stat,” Hogg remarked in his YouTube channel.
The recent upward trend in Joe Root’s Test career is unparalleled, boasting an impressive tally of 12,402 runs in 146 appearances, which situates him within an exclusive group of cricket luminaries, prompting comparisons to the revered Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar’s towering record of 15,921 Test runs in 200 matches has long seemed insurmountable. However, with only 66 more Tests to score the 4,000 runs needed to match Tendulkar, Root is inching closer to that extraordinary benchmark. Previously poised to surpass many of Tendulkar’s exceptional Test records, Kohli’s decline in Test performance parallels a formerly vibrant river now depleted, not due to diminished talent or skill, but rather a disruption in momentum.
Virat Kohli’s career in Test cricket, once synonymous with dominance and consistency, has indeed taken a dip in recent years, making many of his loyal fans and experts question whether his best days in the longest format are behind him. There was a time when Kohli was untouchable—scoring heavily across the globe, and leading India’s batting lineup with grit and flair. One of the most remarkable phases in Kohli’s Test career came between 2016 and 2017, when he became the first player to score four double centuries in four consecutive series. During this period, Kohli amassed over 2,580 runs in just 23 Tests at an average of 65.23, an elite statistic by any standard. Going just a few years back, Kohli’s form in the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) was another standout show, where he scored a mammoth 692 runs in four Tests, including four centuries, against Australia in their own backyard. However, in the last four years, the numbers tell a different story. Since the start of 2020, Kohli has averaged below 30 in Test cricket, a stark contrast to his career average of over 48. From 2020 to 2023, Kohli played 24 Tests, scoring just 1,204 runs at an average of 29.36 —a figure far removed from the Kohli of old who would routinely churn out hundreds across continents. Notably, his inability to convert starts into centuries has been glaring. The player who once had a century conversion rate of close to 50% has struggled to capitalize on his starts, often getting dismissed in the 20s and 30s, with only two test centuries (186 vs Australia in Ahmedabad, 2023 & 121 vs West Indies, 2023 ) in his last 40 odd innings. His troubles outside the off-stump have resurfaced, much like in 2014 when James Anderson and company had him repeatedly nicking deliveries to the slips.
While Kohli’s decline is evident, it would be premature to write off a player of his caliber. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting also went through lean patches in the latter parts of their careers but found ways to bounce back. Kohli, who thrives on aggression and mental toughness, needs to find that rhythm again—whether by simplifying his game, reassessing his technique, or perhaps even reinventing his approach to batting in Tests. To restore his form in Tests, Kohli must return to the basics, like a musician revisiting scales and chords. He needs to recalibrate his mindset and adjust his technique, especially his tendency to chase wide deliveries outside the off-stump—his Achilles’ heel in recent years. Much like Tendulkar, who in the early 2000s reworked his technique to counter the ball that left him outside the off-stump, Kohli too must adapt. He could benefit from looking back at his 2018 tour of England (593 runs), where he conquered his previous struggles by tightening his off-stump discipline, almost sculpting an invisible wall around that danger zone. The next 10-15 Tests may very well determine Kohli’s future in the format. If he can rediscover the spark and recalibrate his focus, the “shadow” could transform back into the imposing figure we once knew. For now, it would still be premature to discount Kohli’s ability to rebound.
Virat Kohli, who has time & again shown his ability to thrive in high-pressure situations, may find the upcoming Border Gavaskar trophy in Australia to be the ideal stimulus. Nevertheless, if his struggles continue, selectors will face tough decisions regarding his test team spot, as promising youngsters vie for opportunities. Although his demise is not imminent, the clock is ticking for the King !
