The discussion of Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith is one of the most entertaining rivalries in modern-day cricket. Both players have been the forces of world cricket over the last decade and raised the level of performance regarding batting, across multiple formats, able to score and keep scoring runs. If Kohli’s performance and trust in his game made him the main batter for India, then Smith’s manner of batting, mindset, and demeanour made him the run machine for Australia.
The following article will compare and contrast their statistics in all formats, as well as some comments regarding their leadership, mindset, and impact upon the game of cricket overall, and we will summarise some main comparisons in one table.
Beginnings and Emergence to Fame
While Kohli and Smith played international cricket for the first time around the same time, Kohli’s will be distinctly mapped from Smith’s.
At the age of 19 years and while they were touring Sri Lanka as a young batsman with a specific intent and a seeming natural tendency to just chase runs, Kohli scored an international run for India in 2008.
Three years later, after making his debut in 2010 as a leg-spinner who could bat a little, Smith had remade himself into one of the very best batters in the world.
The extent of their transformation stems from their approach and desire. Kohli’s development from a young, talented player into a chasing genius, combined with Smith’s transition from a batting all-rounder to a batting magician, are two tremendous stories of modern cricket.
Test Cricket: The True Test of Skill
Virat Kohli (Tests)
- Matches: 123
- Runs: 9,230
- Batting Average: 46.85
- Centuries (100s): 30
- Fifties (50s): 31
- Highest Score: 254*
Steve Smith (Tests)
- Matches: 105
- Runs: 10,477
- Batting Average: 56.02
- Centuries (100s): 36
- Fifties (50s): 43
- Highest Score: 239
Analysis
Smith is certainly ahead of the pack in Test cricket. A batting average of around 58 puts him in the company of greats like Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar, and yet, Kohli has more conversions in challenging international conditions, especially in England, Australia and South Africa.
Both players are adept at fast bowling (Kohli with fast) and spin bowling (Smith with spin), making both players thriving masters of all conditions.
ODI Cricket: The King vs The Mastermind
Virat Kohli (ODIs)
- Matches: 302
- Runs: 14,181
- Batting Average: 57.88
- Strike Rate: 93.34
- Centuries (100s): 51
- Fifties (50s): 74
- Highest Score: 183
Steve Smith (ODIs)
- Matches: 170
- Runs: 5,800
- Batting Average: 43.28
- Strike Rate: 86.96
- Centuries (100s): 12
- Fifties (50s): 35
- Highest Score: 164
Analysis
Kohli is the king of this format. His statistics are phenomenal, higher than a 58 average with over 50 centuries and second to Sachin Tendulkar on the ODI tons list.
Smith may not be as dynamic, but he has produced several match-winning innings in ICC events, including his pivotal knocks in the 2015 World Cup and 2023 World Cup campaigns.
T20 Internationals: Consistency Meets Class
Virat Kohli (T20Is)
- Matches: 125
- Runs: 4,188
- Batting Average: 48.69
- Strike Rate: 137.04
- Fifties (50s): 38
- Highest Score: 122*
Steve Smith (T20Is)
- Matches: 67
- Runs: 1,094
- Batting Average: 24.86
- Strike Rate: 125.45
- Fifties (50s): 5
- Highest Score: 90*
Analysis
Kohli’s record in T20Is is far superior. His average above 50 in this format is remarkable, proving his ability to adapt his game. Smith, though technically sound, has struggled to accelerate consistently. Kohli’s calmness under pressure and smart running between the wickets make him a complete T20 player.
Virat Kohli – Captaincy Record
- Total Matches as Captain: 213
- Matches Won: 135
- Matches Lost: 60
- Draws / No Results: 14
- Win Percentage: 63.38%
- Win/Loss Ratio: 2.25
- Formats Captained: Test, ODI, T20I
- Notable Achievements: Led India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia (2018–19) and reached two World Test Championship finals.
Steve Smith – Captaincy Record
- Total Matches as Captain: 170
- Matches Won: 95
- Matches Lost: 75
- Draws / No Results: Not specified
- Win Percentage: 55.88%
- Win/Loss Ratio: 1.27
- Formats Captained: Test, ODI, T20I
- Notable Achievements: Led Australia to victory in the 2023 ICC World Cup and the 2023 to 24 ODI series against the West Indies.
Analysis
Kohli has been more successful as captain, particularly in Tests, where he turned India into a world-beating side at home and abroad. Smith, too, led Australia with distinction, but his captaincy was interrupted by the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Performance in ICC Tournaments
Regarding international contests, Kohli has often emerged as India’s best player, while Smith has delivered during his knockouts for Australia.
Kohli’s level of form at World Cups and Champions Trophy competitions is unrivalled and he has multiple fifties and centuries in marquee matches that had both a World Cup and Champions Trophy behind them.
Smith is also continuing the trend of high-performing knockouts, especially when he scored a century in the semifinals of the World Cup in 2015 against India, a case study for pressure-based performance.
Both are big-game players, able to withstand what is presented to players contingent on the outcome of the match.
Style and Mental Strength
Kohli plays with emotion and hunger, using timing, placement and intent. His zest lifts their team, and his zest for fitness has raised the standards for players throughout the world.
Smith, on the other hand, plays via mental courage and focus. His uncatchable style may look funny, but it works exceptionally well. There’s no comparison to his ability to play long innings and annoy bowlers.
In other words, Kohli wins hearts via passion while Smith wins minds via calculation.
Who Is the Better All-Format Player?
This debate is endless because both bring different strengths to the table:
- Kohli is arguably the best all-format batsman, with world-class performances in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
- Smith is the most consistent Test player since Bradman and a crucial match-winner for Australia.
If you look at numbers and adaptability, Kohli slightly edges ahead due to his all-format dominance. But in pure Test batting, Smith’s name stands tall among legends.
Conclusion
The rivalry between Kohli and Smith has all the qualities seen in modern-day cricket: passion vs precision, aggression vs calmness, India vs Australia. Both players have broken the record books and inspired a whole generation of players to believe in the possibility of achieving smaller dreams.
Cricket fans are the ultimate victors from all of this. Watching Virat Kohli and Steve Smith play against one another at the zenith of the game is a reconfirmation of how this sport continues to produce legends who subvert the notion of greatness with every single innings.