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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli versus Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan

gazza619

Test Debutant
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
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14,140
I wanted to have a friendly chat about four champion players from two great cricketing nations. If you had to pick a duo to depend on for a crucial result, which duo would you choose and in which format? Let's keep this discussion to ODIs and Tests, as in T20s, it would undoubtedly be the Indian duo.

When it comes to ODIs, I would lean towards picking the Indian duo. Their ability to handle pressure, their consistency in scoring runs, and their knack for finishing games make them an ideal choice in the limited-overs format. Their experience and expertise in chasing down targets or setting formidable ones would provide a sense of assurance in critical situations.

On the other hand, when it comes to Tests, I would opt for the Pakistani duo. Their technical proficiency, resilience, and ability to play long innings make them invaluable in the longer format of the game. They have the temperament to grind out tough situations and the skill to dominate bowling attacks over extended periods.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Which duo would you pick and why?
 

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Limited overs - Roko without doubts

But in test Virat is not comparable to Rohit. Virat has performed better than Rohit, Yousuf, Younis in SENA nations with match winning knocks

:kp
 
Limited overs - Roko without doubts

But in test Virat is not comparable to Rohit. Virat has performed better than Rohit, Yousuf, Younis in SENA nations with match winning knocks

:kp
So who would be your two players in test cricket if you had the option to chose players from both countries? Virat & Younis?
 
Bro - Rohit in tests is bog average and the other three are head and shoulders above him.

Yes ODI's i agree Rohit and Virat are better than MY and Yk but then Rohit and Virat are surely in legend territory in ODI history.

The other thing that YK was terrific was his slip fielding. Easily head and shoulders above the other 3. Very under estimated for his slips prowess, but he was the Mark Waugh kind of catcher -generally caught with both hands.
 
One of the mystery was as per ICC ranking Moyo touched no.1 ranking in ODI back in 2008 lol I still never know how they calculated. IN a 2 year period both DHoni and Yuvraj singh scored 2000 plus runs. That is when Moyo touched no.1 ranking mysteriously. Such an impactless no.1 ranked batsman at that time as we had guys like Haydos. Gambhir, Tendulkar, Ponting, Haydos were doing well. He didn't even score that many.
 
These are all players I am fan of.
Overall I take the Pakistanis in tests, but the Indians have signfiicant test innings, Kohli was a GOAT contender in tests for a long time too.

In ODIs the Indians are GOATS but the Pakistans dont even enter the conversation.

Test - Moyo, YK
ODI - Kohli, Sharma

Overall - Rohit and Kohli across formats
 
Rohit is probably the least known for Test performance in this list. But if you purely talk about impact he is not that bad


Performance in matchces won.

Rohit sharma 36 matches 2985 runs 57.40 average 12 centuries 9 fifties
Moyo 34 matches 2789 runs 58.10 average 8 centureis 15 fifties



Another interesting stat

Kohli and Rohit played 31 matches together in Test that India won

Rohit sharma 31 tests 2597 runs 60.39 average 62.33 strike rate
Kohli 31 tests 2093 runs 44.53 average 57.91 strike rate
 
Yk was a much better test batsmen in sc than others.Rohit was also quite good against spin in sub continent.In tests alone, If I want to defend my fort with a bankable soldier in the war , i will go for YK. To make an aggressive statement irrespective of the result , I will go with kohli .I will hope for an Adelaide 2014 / 2018 joberg kind of unforgettable match. In his pomp, kohli will makeva match watchable with his talent.its horrible to even think about pak batsmen Odis and t20s .
 
Younis Khan is a better test batsman than all of the other three.

But that said he was woeful in ODIs. Probably the least.

Kohli and Sharma played tests in more challenging wickets and their average is on the lower side due to that. Didn't help that Rohit took a long time to become a permanent fixture in the test team as well. Also has to be mentioned that both Kohli and Sharma are technically deficient when it comes to tests. Kohli more than Sharma.

Yousuf is a peculiar case. Apart from his one great calendar year , he really didn't do anything much of note.

Across formats and eras. I'd give it to the combo of Ro-Ko , just. because Yousuf isn't really as good as lot of people make him out to be and that Yo's played in an era of batting friendly pitches where the Indian duo didn't have the same luxury.

Had it been a like to like comparision between dravid - Sachin and yousuf - Younis , it would have been a clear cut winner for dravid and Sachin.
 
Younis Khan is a better test batsman than all of the other three.

But that said he was woeful in ODIs. Probably the least.

Kohli and Sharma played tests in more challenging wickets and their average is on the lower side due to that. Didn't help that Rohit took a long time to become a permanent fixture in the test team as well. Also has to be mentioned that both Kohli and Sharma are technically deficient when it comes to tests. Kohli more than Sharma.

Yousuf is a peculiar case. Apart from his one great calendar year , he really didn't do anything much of note.

Across formats and eras. I'd give it to the combo of Ro-Ko , just. because Yousuf isn't really as good as lot of people make him out to be and that Yo's played in an era of batting friendly pitches where the Indian duo didn't have the same luxury.

Had it been a like to like comparision between dravid - Sachin and yousuf - Younis , it would have been a clear cut winner for dravid and Sachin.
After 2017 or 2018 it was a low scoring era atleast in India.
 
The point does remain that both Ro-Ko won't make the top 15 lists in India's all time test batting list. The Yo's probably will make the the top 10 list in Pak's all time test batting
 
But one complaint pak fans always had against Moyo was "He was soft statpadder". "Always scores in inconsequential tests or tests that were certaingly going to end in draw"

Younis Khan averages 74 in tests that Pakistan won. Moyo averaged 57. If you look at the drawn tests it just flips


Younis khan 27 tests 2294 runs 57.35 average in drawn tests
Moyo 23 tests 2348 runs 73.37 average in drawn tests
 
Every main batsmen is always going to score more runs in wins. That's the nature of the game.

What differentiates Younis from Yousuf is the clutch innings that younis played. Yousuf doesn't have those.
 
The point does remain that both Ro-Ko won't make the top 15 lists in India's all time test batting list. The Yo's probably will make the the top 10 list in Pak's all time test batting
There are 15 better Indian test batsmen than Kohli?

Tendulkar
Gavaskar
Dravid

Sehwag (maybe, tbh he also isn’t better than Kohli considering the pitches)
Laxman (outside chance)


Who are the others?
 
There are 15 better Indian test batsmen than Kohli?

Tendulkar
Gavaskar
Dravid

Sehwag (maybe, tbh he also isn’t better than Kohli considering the pitches)
Laxman (outside chance)
Vengsarkar
Azharuddin
Lala
CK Nayadu
Pujara
Vishwanath
Ganguly
Kapil

And a couple more

Point is that Kohli just isn't a good test batsman. You could even add Rahane as being a much better impact player in tests than what Kohli was.
 
And you've got to be kidding me when you say laxman has an outside chance of being better than Kohli.

The same laxman who's been shunted up and down the batting order and still produced the greatest test match innings by an Indian batsmen ever in 281.
 
Point is that Kohli just isn't a good test batsman. You could even add Rahane as being a much better impact player in tests than what Kohli was.
This cracked me up.

7 years - around 80 tests - 7K runs

In den of top 2 oppositions( Aus/SA) - 8 tons with avg 55-60


1761488725518.png

If this is not a good test batsman then not sure what good looks like.

I will be interested to see list of even 5 test batsmen from Asia, let alone India who have had a stretch of 80 tests like this. Nah, not just HTB list, some one with balanced and great record in tough tours in the same stretch.

One can rate Kohli wherever , but not a good test batsman, lol.
 
This cracked me up.

7 years - around 80 tests - 7K runs

In den of top 2 oppositions( Aus/SA) - 8 tons with avg 55-60


View attachment 159025

If this is not a good test batsman then not sure what good looks like.

I will be interested to see list of even 5 test batsmen from Asia, let alone India who have had a stretch like this. Nah, not just HTB list, some one with balanced and great record in tough tours.

One can rate Kohli wherever , but not a good test batsman, lol.
You responded to the vitriol, I couldn’t even get myself to do that to the tripe he wrote.
 
Another ineresting point -

Entire career of 4 players mentioned in this thread, SA and Aus were the best opposition bowling they could have played.

Kohli, Moyo, YK and Rohit's away record agaisnt two best oppositions - Kohli has 9 tons.

Others not even worth finding because it's 2 or less.


I think many under rate Kohli too much due to recency bias.

1761489544901.png
 
This cracked me up.

7 years - around 80 tests - 7K runs

In den of top 2 oppositions( Aus/SA) - 8 tons with avg 55-60


View attachment 159025

If this is not a good test batsman then not sure what good looks like.

I will be interested to see list of even 5 test batsmen from Asia, let alone India who have had a stretch of 80 tests like this. Nah, not just HTB list, some one with balanced and great record in tough tours in the same stretch.

One can rate Kohli wherever , but not a good test batsman, lol.
Kohli had a very skewed test career. From 2013-19 he was in the league to very best. Probably looking set to break every test record

Then from 2020-24 he averaged in the 20s. Massive decline. That definitely changed the narrative

I doubt any top tier batter had such skewed stats
 
Kohli had a very skewed test career. From 2013-19 he was in the league to very best. Probably looking set to break every test record

Then from 2020-24 he averaged in the 20s. Massive decline. That definitely changed the narrative

I doubt any top tier batter had such skewed stats
That's correct. Batsmen should be rated with their best and worst taken together. No issue with that, but anyone saying that Kohli was not a good test batsman has simply not watched the last 15 years and going by only the last 5 years.
 
In a way Kohli's career mirrored Ian Botham

From 1977-85 Botham was extraordinary - both with bat & ball. He was allrounder in the truest form. Matchwinner both with bat & ball. Was on the path to overtaking Garry Sobers as the best allrounder & probably looked like he wud end up as a ATG in the league of Bradman / Sobers

And then after that he turned bang average. Ruined his overall career stats
 
Kohli had a very skewed test career. From 2013-19 he was in the league to very best. Probably looking set to break every test record

Then from 2020-24 he averaged in the 20s. Massive decline. That definitely changed the narrative

I doubt any top tier batter had such skewed stats
Pre-covid Kohli >> Post-covid Kohli. A guy who could have poentially finished with a Test average of 50 had he shown discipline instead of chasing wide deliveries for 5 years.
 
Pre-covid Kohli >> Post-covid Kohli. A guy who could have poentially finished with a Test average of 50 had he shown discipline instead of chasing wide deliveries for 5 years.
His game was heavily based on hand eye cordination. His backfoot game was non existent - so his hand eye coordination wss critical. From 2020 onwards he lost that eye & his technical frailities got exposed
 
His game was heavily based on hand eye cordination. His backfoot game was non existent - so his hand eye coordination wss critical. From 2020 onwards he lost that eye & his technical frailities got exposed
That is where the experience comes into picture. Moment you start losing it you have to find ways to overcome it. Many times they talked about Sachin's disicipline at the SCG. Even on a good batting track he managed to abandon that shot. Steve Smith adapts himself to every pitch, every country as best as he could. Kohli never made an effort to be smart.
 
Sad thing for Pakistani fans is that they are comparing two current batsmen with guys who retired 15 and 8 years ago.

In 12 years time they will be comparing Gill/Jaiswal to Moyo/Younis.
 
One of the most pointless discussions in the history of discussions

What purpose does this thread serve besides pointless discussion?
 
One of the most pointless discussions in the history of discussions

What purpose does this thread serve besides pointless discussion?
May be you can bump your threads on Rizwan vs Chanderpaul, or Rizwan vs Sharjeel, or Rizwan vs Asif Ali, or Rizwan vs Rohit, or Rizwan vs Michael Jackson, and use your energy there.
 
In ODI no comparison

Ro - Ko >>>> Mo - Yo

In test cricket

On subcontinent pitches

Mo - Yo >> Ro - Ko

In SENA

Kohli > Younis > Yousuf > Rohit
 
Not in whole SENA...in England abd NZ younis and yousuf were better than kohli....in Aus kohi Is better than younis but younis hardly played in that country due to in and out of team....
In ODI no comparison

Ro - Ko >>>> Mo - Yo

In test cricket

On subcontinent pitches

Mo - Yo >> Ro - Ko

In SENA

Kohli > Younis > Yousuf > Ro
 
Not in whole SENA...in England abd NZ younis and yousuf were better than kohli....in Aus kohi Is better than younis but younis hardly played in that country due to in and out of team....
In 2018 Kohli scored 500 plus runs on pretty difficult pitches in England. Yousuf and Younis never has such performances on green seaming pitches
 
I wanted to have a friendly chat about four champion players from two great cricketing nations. If you had to pick a duo to depend on for a crucial result, which duo would you choose and in which format? Let's keep this discussion to ODIs and Tests, as in T20s, it would undoubtedly be the Indian duo.

When it comes to ODIs, I would lean towards picking the Indian duo. Their ability to handle pressure, their consistency in scoring runs, and their knack for finishing games make them an ideal choice in the limited-overs format. Their experience and expertise in chasing down targets or setting formidable ones would provide a sense of assurance in critical situations.

On the other hand, when it comes to Tests, I would opt for the Pakistani duo. Their technical proficiency, resilience, and ability to play long innings make them invaluable in the longer format of the game. They have the temperament to grind out tough situations and the skill to dominate bowling attacks over extended periods.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Which duo would you pick and why?

Why didn't you add your beloved Babar Azam to the comparison? Software updated perhaps?
 
Why didn't you add your beloved Babar Azam to the comparison? Software updated perhaps?
Bro have you worked out the point of this thread and comparison?

I would rate it as the most pointless player comparison threads ever.

Like, how do you draw up energy to argue Rohit is better than Younis, or Yousuf is better than Kohli?

I mean what is the point?
 
OP may have forgotten that YK was one of the worst ODI players to play for Pakistan. An average of 31 at an SR in the 70s.
 
Bro have you worked out the point of this thread and comparison?

I would rate it as the most pointless player comparison threads ever.

Like, how do you draw up energy to argue Rohit is better than Younis, or Yousuf is better than Kohli?

I mean what is the point?

It's the most pointless thread from any poster who isn't called Major.
 
The point of the thread is to argue:

Virat and Rohit is a better duo for ODI

And Yousuf/Younis is a better duo for Test


So what should we do about this information even if it’s true? Ab kya karain?
 
Moyo has an unique record in ODIs :) Can you guess it?

Best bowling average in ODI history in matches won


1 ball 1 wicket 0.00 average :)

He also has the best ODI bowling average in ODI history

2 balls 1 run 1 wickets 1.00 average

I never knew that , he just bowled one over in 90 Tests he played , why he never was given another over is surprising.
 
But one complaint pak fans always had against Moyo was "He was soft statpadder". "Always scores in inconsequential tests or tests that were certaingly going to end in draw"

Younis Khan averages 74 in tests that Pakistan won. Moyo averaged 57. If you look at the drawn tests it just flips


Younis khan 27 tests 2294 runs 57.35 average in drawn tests
Moyo 23 tests 2348 runs 73.37 average in drawn tests
Yusuf looked pleasing to eyes , he had lazy elegance which Younus Khan lacked.
 
Won't enter comparison, but Kohli has some of the most deceiving Test stats in the history of the game. Ashwin and Jadeja's ATG status is built on the sacrifice of Kohli, Pujara and Rahane's Test careers.
 
Won't enter comparison, but Kohli has some of the most deceiving Test stats in the history of the game. Ashwin and Jadeja's ATG status is built on the sacrifice of Kohli, Pujara and Rahane's Test careers.
. Pujara was scoring runs before covid. Post covid everyone regresse.d Rahane never had a home record to begin with. After 2020 Jaiswal scored more runs in India in less matches than Rohi and Kohli. Pant averaged 51. Axar patel averaged more than Kohli. Gill also scored 5 centuries. Kohli regressed everywhere. Pujara atleast had one great series in Australia. Rohit had a great home series against SA. But Rahane and Kohli never had a great series. Kohli should have retired like 4 years back. He was averaging 54 then.
 
. Pujara was scoring runs before covid. Post covid everyone regresse.d Rahane never had a home record to begin with. After 2020 Jaiswal scored more runs in India in less matches than Rohi and Kohli. Pant averaged 51. Axar patel averaged more than Kohli. Gill also scored 5 centuries. Kohli regressed everywhere. Pujara atleast had one great series in Australia. Rohit had a great home series against SA. But Rahane and Kohli never had a great series. Kohli should have retired like 4 years back. He was averaging 54 then.
Kohli practiced against Anushka's bowling during COVID as SunnyG pointed out. Virat was never the same batsman again.

Then the wife got offended and threw a tantrum when her bowling skills were called into question. In fact, she was so offended, she went ahead and made a movie where she was some top international bowler.

Too bad nobody bothered to turn up in the theatres for it.

So sad :jimmy
 
One of the most random comparison threads on PP.

I’ll just add that @Buffet is absolutely right when he talks about Kohli the test bat. Kohli was a hard worker, with technical limitations, once he lost hand eye coordination, reflexes slowed down for whatever reasons (age, family, lack of hunger, muscle memory of limited overs etc) he wasn’t the same test bat. During his peak years he was arguably the best in the world or second best behind Smith (a top 5 best test player in history).
 
. Pujara was scoring runs before covid. Post covid everyone regresse.d Rahane never had a home record to begin with. After 2020 Jaiswal scored more runs in India in less matches than Rohi and Kohli. Pant averaged 51. Axar patel averaged more than Kohli. Gill also scored 5 centuries. Kohli regressed everywhere. Pujara atleast had one great series in Australia. Rohit had a great home series against SA. But Rahane and Kohli never had a great series. Kohli should have retired like 4 years back. He was averaging 54 then.
Kohli did regress, but so did most greats, still finishing with a 50+ average. Kohli's Test career belonged in that league, numbers don't justify the Test batsman he was.
 
I think Kohli was better than all of them even in tests before 2020. Even in other formats he declined as a player after 2020 though more so in tests. I think Kohli declined so much that it now seems unfair to rate him above Yousuf and Younis in tests overall.

It’s really strange honestly. He always struck me as a hard worker and to suddenly and permanently lose form like that is a bit weird. Especially when we saw Tendulkar and even Dhoni perform well into late thirties. Usually cricketers at the level or of Kohli or even considerably worse don’t drop off so quickly.

Yousuf and Younis were very good, at least in tests. But I’ve never had a feeling that there was any point of time where they really felt like the best in the world. Kohli I’ve had that feeling in every single format in periods, tests, Odis and t20s.
 
I think Kohli was better than all of them even in tests before 2020. Even in other formats he declined as a player after 2020 though more so in tests. I think Kohli declined so much that it now seems unfair to rate him above Yousuf and Younis in tests overall.

Kohli was never a great test match batsman. Younis probably makes a case of being a great.

Was never convinced fully on yousuf and Rohit Sharma never really had a sustained test match career.

Someone like Kohli who can't pick spin or seam can't stake a claim to be a great test match batsman.
 
Kohli practiced against Anushka's bowling during COVID as SunnyG pointed out. Virat was never the same batsman again.

Then the wife got offended and threw a tantrum when her bowling skills were called into question. In fact, she was so offended, she went ahead and made a movie where she was some top international bowler.

Too bad nobody bothered to turn up in the theatres for it.

So sad :jimmy
That movie Chakda express or whatever it's called hasn't released yet.
 
I think Kohli was better than all of them even in tests before 2020. Even in other formats he declined as a player after 2020 though more so in tests. I think Kohli declined so much that it now seems unfair to rate him above Yousuf and Younis in tests overall.

It’s really strange honestly. He always struck me as a hard worker and to suddenly and permanently lose form like that is a bit weird. Especially when we saw Tendulkar and even Dhoni perform well into late thirties. Usually cricketers at the level or of Kohli or even considerably worse don’t drop off so quickly.

Yousuf and Younis were very good, at least in tests. But I’ve never had a feeling that there was any point of time where they really felt like the best in the world. Kohli I’ve had that feeling in every single format in periods, tests, Odis and t20s.
Yeah, Kohli was always the "anti Yuvraj", like Yuvraj had all the talent but never applied despite early promises (punishing McGrath and co at 18 or something), and as you say, if you told me a decade ago Kohli of all people would be considered complacent and even lazy I’d be shocked but yeah that’s how it is now, many Indian fans say it’s his mariage with Anushka Sharma that kinda destroyed him, he had controlled aggression before that since the mariage and especially Covid has simply disappeared.

On topic, I think that even the MisYo combination has been better in Tests looking at the bigger picture, back in the 2000s we didn’t talk of both Ys but added Inzy as well, it was a trio.
 
I think Kohli was better than all of them even in tests before 2020. Even in other formats he declined as a player after 2020 though more so in tests. I think Kohli declined so much that it now seems unfair to rate him above Yousuf and Younis in tests overall.

It’s really strange honestly. He always struck me as a hard worker and to suddenly and permanently lose form like that is a bit weird. Especially when we saw Tendulkar and even Dhoni perform well into late thirties. Usually cricketers at the level or of Kohli or even considerably worse don’t drop off so quickly.

Yousuf and Younis were very good, at least in tests. But I’ve never had a feeling that there was any point of time where they really felt like the best in the world. Kohli I’ve had that feeling in every single format in periods, tests, Odis and t20s.
Kohli did not work hard after covid. He kept edging 8th stump line to slips. Any other player would have been dropped long back. Had they done that Kohli would have actually worked harder and finished with better stats. IN a way that hurt him more htan helped him.
 
In tests Younis Khan, Virat, Md Yusuf, Rohit

In Odis- Virat, Rohit, Md Yusuf, is this a joke?

In T20s- Virat= Rohit, is this a joke?
 
Kohli did not work hard after covid. He kept edging 8th stump line to slips. Any other player would have been dropped long back. Had they done that Kohli would have actually worked harder and finished with better stats. IN a way that hurt him more htan helped him.
Yeah it’s sad really. He really felt like the best batsman of my generation up to 2020. He still is if you take all formats into account. But this deterioration takes something away from him.

When people talk about tendulkar it’s not just the performances, it’s the longevity. Kohli doesn’t have that. Don’t think Kohli will be talked or hyped in the way tendulkar was now in the future.

Steven smith is great at tests. And root and Kane are very good test players. Kohli was great at Loi. But really for the best batsman of a generation you expect them to be great at all formats. Guys like tendulkar did that, was great in tests and Odis.
 
That movie Chakda express or whatever it's called hasn't released yet.
You're right. Apparently after the teaser got trolled, they brought Netflix in. But it's been quietly shelved and will most probably never see a release. Maybe A Sharma whose company sold the rights to Netflix finally realized it was a bad mistake to think saying jarsey was enough to sound Bengali :jimmy
 
The point of the thread is to argue:

Virat and Rohit is a better duo for ODI

And Yousuf/Younis is a better duo for Test


So what should we do about this information even if it’s true? Ab kya karain?
That's not the issue here. Sometimes comparing players and stuff is just fun and that has been happening since the inception of PP. The issue is that this comparison is not something to have fun with or debate. There is a clear winner for the ODI format and a clear winner for the test format and everyone is unanimous in this so ultimately it's a thread with 50+ comments reiterating the same thing.

How many more times should we hear Rohit and Kohli > in ODIs and MoYo > in tests
 
The point of the thread is to argue:

Virat and Rohit is a better duo for ODI

And Yousuf/Younis is a better duo for Test


So what should we do about this information even if it’s true? Ab kya karain?
There are posters here who are interested in players of the past and cricket legends. Comparison threads helps to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of those players and analyse them.

Not everyone is here for peddling agenda about two players.

Also lets say Misbah is the worst thing to happen to Pak cricket (which you keep repeating), so what should we do about this information ? Ab kya karein?
 
I think Younis Khan was probably the most hardworking test batsman of the lot which is why he went on to do so well till late in his career. He played and performed till 38-39 age.
 
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