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As Joe Root continues to excel in Test cricket, England fans and former players are reveling in his remarkable achievements. On Thursday, the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka, Root played a pivotal role in England's comeback, guiding the team from a precarious position of 130/4 to a respectable 358/7 at stumps. In doing so, Root achieved his 33rd Test century, surpassing Alastair Cook as the English player with the most Test hundreds.
The Fab Four of the last decade, consisting of Root, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, and Kane Williamson, are still active in Test cricket. However, despite being the leading century-maker in ODIs, Kohli has fallen behind his peers in terms of Test hundreds. Among the Fab Four, Kohli currently holds the lowest number of Test centuries, trailing Root, Smith, and Williamson.
While Kohli is the second-most capped player among the Fab Four, with Root leading the way, Smith and Williamson are not far behind. This comparison highlights the incredible consistency and longevity of these exceptional cricketers.
Michael Vaughan's comparison of Root and Kohli
Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has added to the intrigue surrounding Joe Root's achievements by comparing his statistics to those of Virat Kohli. In a playful "good morning" message, Vaughan highlighted some striking differences between the two batters, potentially teasing Kohli's fanbase.
Despite making his Test debut more than a year after Kohli, Root has managed to amass superior numbers in several key batting categories. This comparison serves as a reminder of Root's exceptional consistency and ability to consistently score runs at the highest level of Test cricket.
Joe Root vs Virat Kohli, a statistical comparison
While some may focus on the difference in Test matches played between Joe Root and Virat Kohli, the numbers clearly demonstrate Root's superior performance in all facets of Test cricket. Despite playing fewer matches and innings, Root has amassed more runs, maintained a higher average, and achieved a better strike-rate than Kohli. Root's total of 12,131 runs significantly surpasses Kohli's 8,848 runs, with a difference of 3,290 runs. In terms of average, Root holds a slight edge over Kohli, averaging 50.33 compared to Kohli's 49.15. Additionally, Root's strike-rate of 56.70 is marginally higher than Kohli's 55.56. Furthermore, Root has outperformed Kohli in terms of half-centuries and sixes. He has scored 64 half-centuries compared to Kohli's 30 and has hit more sixes, with 44 to Kohli's 42. These statistics unequivocally highlight Root's dominance over Kohli in Test cricket.
The Fab Four's Shifting Dynamics
For an extended period, Joe Root and Virat Kohli were on a par, competing neck-and-neck for batting supremacy. However, Kohli's fortunes took a significant downturn during a lean spell that lasted from November 2019 to March 2022. This slump not only prevented him from scoring a century but also caused his average to dip below 50 for the first time in years. While Kohli struggled, his contemporaries, Williamson, Smith, and Root, continued to amass centuries at a higher rate. As a result, Kohli's position among the Fab Four shifted, placing him third in terms of total runs scored. Smith currently occupies the second spot with 9,685 runs, and Williamson is just slightly behind Kohli with 8,743 runs.
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