West Indies legend ends debate on comparison between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar

Fans and experts often compare star batsman Virat Kohli with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.

Just before Kohli’s 500th match for India, the broadcasters showed a graphic comparing his numbers with the legendary Tendulkar at the same landmark. Kohli had more runs (25,461), a better average (53.48), the same number of centuries (75) and half-centuries (131) compared to Tendulkar who had 24,839 runs at an average of 48.51 with 75 centuries and 114 half-centuries when he was playing his 500th international match.

However, West Indies legend Curtly Ambrose, who has had his fair share of duels with Tendulkar during his playing days, and has also watched Kohli grow into a modern-day giant, feels one should never compare the two great players.

“I wouldn’t want to compare both players. Sachin Tendulkar was a great player, and achieved just about everything in cricket. You can’t take away from his cricketing knowledge and the way he played. I’m not the kind of guy who would like to compare,” said Ambrose during an interview.

The former West Indies speedster also hailed Kohli as a great batter.

“When you’re a great player and going through a lean patch, like Kohli in the last couple of years where he had not scored a century outside India, people tend to look at him and say ‘Oh, he is over the hill, he’s struggling because he hasn’t scored a century,’ and all that stuff. It’s unfair. Every great player goes through a patch where they fail to score hundreds or fail to be consistent. He is still a quality player, I am really happy he got a hundred. Unfortunately, it’s against the West Indies, but that should do his confidence a world of good, and shut up some people who think he is over the hill. He’s not, he still has a lot to contribute to Indian cricket and cricket in general,” said the former great cricketer.