MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli

August 5, 2023

It would be not wrong If I say both MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are best cricketers to play for India. Here are some of analysis of MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli. Who is Best?

Both are the players who are most committed to Indian Cricket. Both played for team’s win and growth.

MS Dhoni built many players and always backed talented stars whereas Virat Kohli changed the fitness standard of players.

MS Dhoni is called as “Captain Cool”, “Best Finisher” whereas Virat Kohli is called as “Run Machine” and “Captain Aggressive”. Captain Cool MS Dhoni has led Indian Team for atleast ten years and changed Indian Cricket alot. Virat Kohli led Test side for 7 years from 2015 to 2021 end. Indian Test team was very dominant under Virat Kohli. Some people all around the World says Dhoni is better and some people says Kohli is better. So let’s compare formats wise: –

Tests

In Tests, Virat Kohli has played 101 Test matches and scored 8043 runs at an average of 50 with 27 Hundreds.

MSD on other hand, has scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.

In Terms of Captaincy, today Virat Kohli is most successful Indian Captain. India remained No1 in Tests for four years under Virat.

Under Virat, India won 40 Test matches and is India’s most successful Test Captain.

Dhoni was the most Test successful Captain before Virat but his overseas test records are not so good.

As a Batsman as well, he has no overseas century in Tests.

So, in Tests Virat Kohli is better, both as a Captain and Batsman.

Virat Kohli won the first battle of MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli

ODIs

In ODIs MS Dhoni is called as best finisher of all time and Virat Kohli is called as Run Machine.

Both have very good record in ODIs as a batsman. Both have won India many games by their individual performances.

Also Read – Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma

Virat Kohli is fastest to score 10,000 ODI runs and have scored 12,311 runs at an average of 59 with 43 hundreds.

MS Dhoni has 10,773 runs at an average of 50.

Under MSD, India has won 110 games out of 200 with 55% win percentage whereas Under Virat win percentage is 79% which is highest by any Captain.

Virat Kohli has led India in more than 50 ODIs and team India was much dominant under him.

Under Virat, India reached finals in ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and were semi-finalists in ICC World Cup 2019.

But MSD have World Cup and ICC Champions trophy as a Captain. In addition to this, Asia Cup in 2010 and 2016(T20 Asia Cup).

As a Batsman, Virat Kohli has performed little-bit better than MS Dhoni

So, here MS Dhoni is ahead than Kohli but under Virat’s leadership India have win percentage of 70+.

Here, MS Dhoni won the battle of MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli

T20s

In T20s, Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer and have 50+ average in T20s with an strike rate of 138.

MS Dhoni has scored 1617 runs at an average of 37 but have poor strike rate of 126 as he bats in death.

As a Captain, MS Dhoni is the most successful Captain with in terms of wins, MSD has 42 wins in 72 T20s as a Captain.

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India has won ICC World Cup T20 2007 under him as well whereas under Virat there are 30 wins in 50 games.

So, as a Batsman, Virat Kohli has an edge over MS Dhoni. But many experts believe MSD is better as a captain and why:-

Captain had won most number of Matches: Dhoni

Captain who has won all ICC trophies: Dhoni

Captain who had played with all sorts of players and all types of playing 11: Dhoni

Captain who had brought the team to the highest ranking, no. 1 in test, ODI, T20: Dhoni

Captain who has world record in captaincy: Winning 100 matches, Winning all the limited over trophies T20 WC, ODI WC, ICC Champions Trophy

Important Wins under Kohli’s Captaincy

India won ODI and T20 series in South Africa in 2018

Team India won Test series in Australia in 2019.

Won T20 series against New Zealand by 5–0.

Important wins under Dhoni’s Captaincy

ICC T20 World Cup 2007

CB Series in Australia in 2008

Asia Cup in 2010 and 2016

Won T20 Series in Australia by 3–0

ICC Champions Trophy 2013

As a Captain, no doubt MS Dhoni is better. Even Virat Kohli himself has said Dhoni saved him multiple times from getting dropped.

In the end, MS Dhoni is the winner of battle MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli.