Can Virat Kohli surpass Jacques Kallis in Tests?

[Joseph Gomes]

I see some people downplaying Kallis with bogus reasons (like Kallis is not a match winner, even though he has the most MoTM awards in Test history, and second most MoS awards in test history, LOL). Anyways, numbers speak a lot more than fans with goldfish memories.

Here are some stats for Kallis

Career average - 55.37
Away avg - 53.80
Runs - 13289 (7k+ runs more than Kohli)
100s - 45 (22 more than Kohli)

Peak career average - 58.21 (after 111 tests), which is around 4 points higher than Kohli's current average (which is Kohli's peak average as well).

Forget about peak average, Kallis averaged 57.62 after his 153rd test.

Now the good parts, since career average don't tell the entire story.

Let's see how Kallis performed in Asia (the biggest challenge for SENA batsmen)

Kallis' average in Asia (excluding Bangladesh, of course) - 57.24
100s in Asia - 6

Avg in Pakistan - 58.46 (3 100s)
Avg in India - 83.14 (3 100s)
Avg in SL - 35.33 (0 100s)

Apart from SL, Kallis was godly in Pak and Ind.

Now for Kallis stats in the strongest country during his playtime:

Avg in Australia - 48.23
100s - 3

Do you see Kohli surpassing Kallis in tests? Honestly I don't. I feel Kohli will burn out due to playing 3 formats + IPL. Kohli has to score over 7k test runs to surpass Kallis, and he's already 30. Not even going to talk about average and 100s.

 

[Ab Fan]

I think yes, he will surpass him.

Kallis wasn't as dynamic or a game-changer lIke Kohli was.

However, what Kallis did is worth respectable as well and should not be downgraded. He would keep chipping hundreds every now and then.

 

[the_outsider]

I see some people downplaying Kallis with bogus reasons (like Kallis is not a match winner, even though he has the most MoTM awards in Test history, and second most MoS awards in test history, LOL). Anyways, numbers speak a lot more than fans with goldfish memories.

Here are some stats for Kallis

Career average - 55.37
Away avg - 53.80
Runs - 13289 (7k+ runs more than Kohli)
100s - 45 (22 more than Kohli)

Peak career average - 58.21 (after 111 tests), which is around 4 points higher than Kohli's current average (which is Kohli's peak average as well).

Forget about peak average, Kallis averaged 57.62 after his 153rd test.

Now the good parts, since career average don't tell the entire story.

Let's see how Kallis performed in Asia (the biggest challenge for SENA batsmen)

Kallis' average in Asia (excluding Bangladesh, of course) - 57.24
100s in Asia - 6

Avg in Pakistan - 58.46 (3 100s)
Avg in India - 83.14 (3 100s)
Avg in SL - 35.33 (0 100s)

Apart from SL, Kallis was godly in Pak and Ind.

Now for Kallis stats in the strongest country during his playtime:

Avg in Australia - 48.23
100s - 3

Do you see Kohli surpassing Kallis in tests? Honestly I don't. I feel Kohli will burn out due to playing 3 formats + IPL. Kohli has to score over 7k test runs to surpass Kallis, and he's already 30. Not even going to talk about average and 100s.

Kallis' avg in India is godly.

Other than in India and SA, Kohli and Kallis' stats every other country seems comparable.

But 7k runs is a lot of runs. If Kohli can get there with a 55+ avg, he will surely end his career as GOAT.

It's true Kallis doesn't get the credit he deserves. Those are crazy numbers.

 

[Ab Fan]

Kohli is the Ponting in tests and a GOAT in ODIs unless he fails in 2019 WC.

 

[Hitman]

Depends on whether he can keep his form intact in the long run. Also depends on whether he can keep himself free from injuries. But it's a long way to go. One thing though, while Kohli is aggressive and can take bowlers apart, Kallis was merely a boring accumulator with very little flair. He had a career SR of around 42 which he improved during the later stages of his career to 46 odd.

 

[Dead Ball]

He will surpass Kallis.

Remember, Kallis failed time and again in England till he somewhat rectified his record in his last tour playing second fiddle to Amla.

Kohli has already cemented himself as an all-conditions player...and he is yet to hit 30!

He is already light years ahead of Kallis in ODI's, and barring a career threatening injury , should surpass him in tests as well.

 

[AMSS]

Did Kallis ever front up against the best attacks of his time? I didn't think so. certainly made cricket unwatchable.

 

[InziRules]

I think yes, he will surpass him.

Kallis wasn't as dynamic or a game-changer lIke Kohli was.

However, what Kallis did is worth respectable as well and should not be downgraded. He would keep chipping hundreds every now and then.

Also wickets though. Would take Kallis over anybody in tests

 

[Bhaijaan]

Anyone saying yes or no right now is just guessing future. Truth is we dont know. Time will tell. Hate these kind of stupid questions.

 

[Justcrazy]

Kallis was a bowler as well. We cannot underestimate his bowling contribution.

 

[topspin]

If one was to look purely on stats you would think Kallis is in the same punching weight as Lara, SRT and Ponting but he isn't because his runs didn't have the same impact. He scored his runs slowly (as evident from his SR) and the bowling attacks were mostly dismantled by the likes of Smith, Amla and ABD. His MOTM and MOS awards is one of the most insignificant cricketing stats one could find.

Kohli can carry his team and single handedly win matches for his team. For this reason I would take Kohli's batting over Kallis' batting and bowling in all formats.

 

[hadi123]

Easily as a batsman. Kallis is an all rounder and Kohli is a batsman though, so if you are to compare Kohli to Kallis' legacy in Tests that won't be fair as different roles.

 

[Suleiman]

Kallis was a perennial choker, Kohli is not, given the trend in his performances we’ve seen so far he is set to surpass him.

 

[Ab Fan]

Also wickets though. Would take Kallis over anybody in tests

He is an ATG batsmen like Dravid and Sangakkara and when we add his bowling, he is superior to both and hence overall, as a cricketer, I will put him only behind SRT and Lara from his era and at same level to Ponting.

 

[Ab Fan]

Every cricketer who plays for SA is a choker.

Massive respect to the chokers who, in last 10 years have :-

Won tests series in Australia thrice
Won tests series in England twice
Drew test series in India twice
Won a test series in pakistan once(although in 2007, so 11th year) and drew test series in UAE twice
Won a test series in Sri Lanka
Won several series in NZ and WI

 

[TeamPak95]

Kohli won't burn out. He is a phitness phreak

 

[Hasan123]

Yes he will.

 

[jnaveen1980]

You mean putting audience to sleep? lol I doubt he can surpass him. Kohli is closer to Tendulkar, Ponting than Kallis, Dravid. Just the aggressive mindset while batting.

 

[BaankeJi]

If you just look at stats, Kallis is head and shoulders above any other player from last 50 years.
Tremendous batting, tremendous bowling. Kohli won't be able to surpass Kallis.
Even if you take only batting into account, it will take some doing. Long way to go there as well.

 

[Chrish]

Kohli has truly turned over the new leaf. Sort of reminds me of Ponting's peak where he absolutely looked invincible!