Virat Kohli versus Kapil Dev – who is the greater Test cricketer and who made a bigger impact?

[Ab Fan]

We are discussing test cricket here. In limited ball cricket, Kohli is probably the best ever from India even though Dev won the World Cup with a weak Indian side.

Talking about Test cricket, both players saw decline in their careers in latter half. Both probably played in an era where conditions were not conducive to them. Kapil bowled in era of flat decks while Kohli batted in era of bowling friendly pitches home and away.

Kapil went on to pick 434 wickets at avg of 29 by the end of his career. Kohli is 9K+ runs but his avg also seems to be dropping down, currently at 47.

Kapil was also a good batter, he averaged 31 and scored 5k+ runs in Tests with 8 tons.

As a test captain, Kohli played a key role in making India an invincible side at home and competitive overseas. His wins tally as a test captain is pretty impressive.

Those numbers may not look extraordinary statistically but their impact and calibre can be understood with the very fact that both stood up against the toughest and performed the best,i.e. Kapil vs Windies and Kohli vs Aus/SA.

Who do you think had a bigger impact towards Test cricket and was a greater Indian test cricketer?

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Kapil Dev.

There's no telling what he could have done with apt support of other pacers, a frontline bowler who also smashes it at an avg of 32, that's gold, he was better than Ben Stokes.

 

[mominsaigol]

We are discussing test cricket here. In limited ball cricket, Kohli is probably the best ever from India even though Dev won the World Cup with a weak Indian side.

Talking about Test cricket, both players saw decline in their careers in latter half. Both probably played in an era where conditions were not conducive to them. Kapil bowled in era of flat decks while Kohli batted in era of bowling friendly pitches home and away.

Kapil went on to pick 434 wickets at avg of 29 by the end of his career. Kohli is 9K+ runs but his avg also seems to be dropping down, currently at 47.

Kapil was also a good batter, he averaged 31 and scored 5k+ runs in Tests with 8 tons.

As a test captain, Kohli played a key role in making India an invincible side at home and competitive overseas. His wins tally as a test captain is pretty impressive.

Those numbers may not look extraordinary statistically but their impact and calibre can be understood with the very fact that both stood up against the toughest and performed the best,i.e. Kapil vs Windies and Kohli vs Aus/SA.

Who do you think had a bigger impact towards Test cricket and was a greater Indian test cricketer?

Joke comparison. Kapil dev is a solid test cricketer while the other turned himself into a disgrace by the age of 31.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Kapil Dev is an ATG in tests, Kohli is not.

 

[Ab Fan]

Joke comparison. Kapil dev is a solid test cricketer while the other turned himself into a disgrace by the age of 31.

Kohli was the captain of the test team of the decade 2010s. Can’t be disgrace in a matter of 1-2 years.

Even many felt the same for Kapil Dev when he prolonged his career unnecessarily.

 

[Ab Fan]

Remember, kohli was also a great captain. Many fair weather fans on this forum claimed him to be the GOAT Asian captain too, not that I agree. But he certainly was a strong contender.

 

[mominsaigol]

Kohli was the captain of the test team of the decade 2010s. Can’t be disgrace in a matter of 1-2 years.

Even many felt the same for Kapil Dev when he prolonged his career unnecessarily.

Having a good team vs being a good player is a separate matter.

Unless you're talking about their captaincy record then it's debatable.

However as players, Kohli became a has been in test cricket at the age of 31 lol which is where a batter is suppose to enter his prime years. He gets less flack then Babar azam because unlike Babar, Kphli remained a solid odi and t20 player hence his test performances were masked until 2024 where his t20 performances came into light.

However it's embarrassing to go from an avg of 55-57 in test with 27 test centuries by age 30 to 46-47 avg, 30 test centuries( 3 centuries in 5.5 years) and struggling yo reach 10K runs despite playing more then enough test matches to have gotten to that stage by this point.

His only shining light in test will be that he got 30 test centuries which is no easy feat, however given his career trajectory it's embarrassing since he should have had 38 to 42 test centuries by now and crossed Into 12k to 13 k test runs.

It's a humilating decline.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Virat Kohli is a Top 20 level test batsman from Bharat
A top 5 level captain


Kapil Dev is Top 3 fast bowlers from Bharat
#1 All rounder ever
Top 3 captains ever

Based on the above Kapil Dev is a greater cricketer than Virat Kohli

 

[mominsaigol]

Remember, kohli was also a great captain. Many fair weather fans on this forum claimed him to be the GOAT Asian captain too, not that I agree. But he certainly was a strong contender.

Your title is who had the greater test career and bigger impact.

Not who was the better captain. You should have clarified if all you wanted to talk about was captaincy.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

not a right time to compare virat kohli with any player but yeah if we talk about his peak so no one can really match the class of kohli in any format.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Just for fielding Kapil >>>>>>> Kohli. Kohli has dropped 47 catches in the last 5 years lol Kohli very rarely effect direct hits. Kapil and Alan broder were kings of direct hit run outs. Kohli can literally field anywhere with equal effect. Slip, square leg, long on. Supreme athlete.

 

[topspin]

As players, Kohli in white ball cricket and Kapil Dev in red ball cricket.

As captains, Kapil Dev in white ball cricket and Kohli in red ball cricket.

 

[U$ofA]

Kapil Dev.

Kohli did not have that great an impact. Reason, Tendulkar. Tendulkar had a huge impact. Tendulkar's shadow is so big that Kohli was under it. Kohli will be the first to admit it.

 

[Van_Sri]

Kapil in Tests and Kohli in ODI’s

 

[Varun]

Kohli, Pujara, Rahane and Rohit are emblematic of Indian cricket's long term decline in the 2020s.

 

[Van_Sri]

Kohli as an ODI Player was better than Sachin, his record against Australia is better than Sachin’s. But in Tests due to his bad form in last 5 years even Kapil and Sachin are better than Kohli in Tests

 

[Ab Fan]

It seems at this stage of Kohli’s test career, no one will pick him above Kapil Dev, Ashwin and even Sehwag. Not sure about Kumble and Jadeja?

 

[Hitman]

Kohli as an ODI Player was better than Sachin, his record against Australia is better than Sachin’s. But in Tests due to his bad form in last 5 years even Kapil and Sachin are better than Kohli in Tests

1 new ball rule vs 2 new ball tule.

A mental midget like K.L. Rahul averages 49.15 in the 2 new ball era.

 

[Slim]

I dont think is a fair comparison. Two different type of players. Kapil paaji is different league altogether in terms of class. Indian worldcup winning captain. Whereas Kohli has a lot of contribution to the test team and also reached multiple semis ans finals.

Kohli as a player objectively is better but then he is better than a lot of legends.

 

[BouncerGuy]

People compare any 2 players out of a blue moon. This one also makes no real sense TBH. one was a genuine all-rounder and a legendary captain, while other is a proper batter.

 

[Van_Sri]

1 new ball rule vs 2 new ball tule.

A mental midget like K.L. Rahul averages 49.15 in the 2 new ball era.

Sachin scored 740 runs in Australia vs Australia in 25 Innings @29.6 runs per innings which is mediocre

 

[Hitman]

Sachin scored 740 runs in Australia vs Australia in 25 Innings @29.6 runs per innings which is mediocre

You never spoke about performance against Australia in Australia in your original post. You merely spoke about performance against Australia. And that's how I took it.

Regarding your stats, just a little correction - he averages just a shade above 30 against Australia in Australia. And that's not mediocre for a batsman of his calibre, but rather poor.​

 

[mominsaigol]

1 new ball rule vs 2 new ball tule.

A mental midget like K.L. Rahul averages 49.15 in the 2 new ball era.

This, I've been watching Sachin matches in odi, i was completly wrong about him in my assessment previously since I viewed him decent in odi but quality in tests.

Sachin was very good in both formats and was more complete then kohli who struggles against early outswing in odi.

He's also 100x better at playing spin then kohli.

Probably the best ever odi batter and 2nd best test batter after bradmam. Really really good player.

But tbf kohli isn't bad in odi, 50 cemturirs and 58 avg in a 45 to 50 avg era in odi is still quality.

 

[mominsaigol]

This, I've been watching Sachin matches in odi, i was completly wrong about him in my assessment previously since I viewed him decent in odi but quality in tests.

Sachin was very good in both formats and was more complete then kohli who struggles against early outswing in odi.

He's also 100x better at playing spin then kohli.

Probably the best ever odi batter and 2nd best test batter after bradmam. Really really good player.

But tbf kohli isn't bad in odi, 50 cemturirs and 58 avg in a 45 to 50 avg era in odi is still quality.

Well 3rd to 5th in tests. I think the likes of Steve smith and a few others in prime are slightly ahead. But idrc either way. Sachin also use to avg 60 in prime at one point.

 

[Van_Sri]

You never spoke about performance against Australia in Australia in your original post. You merely spoke about performance against Australia. And that's how I took it.

Regarding your stats, just a little correction - he averages just a shade above 30 against Australia in Australia. And that's not mediocre for a batsman of his calibre, but rather poor.​

Inzamam scored 598 runs in 22 innings @27.18 runs per innings in Australia vs Australia in ODI’s