MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli: Who was the better Test skipper?

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli rank among the most popular players in the history of cricket. Team India's rise to the pinnacle of the sport can be attributed to the leadership qualities of the two star cricketers.

Under Dhoni, India became the first team to win all three ICC trophies - the World T20, Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy. Under Kohli, the Men in Blue scaled new heights, becoming a formidable side in both home and away matches.

While both were just as successful as the other in limited-overs, Kohli enjoyed an edge over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper in Test cricket. With that in mind, here are three reasons why Kohli was a better Test skipper than Dhoni.

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#3. Led from the front

MS Dhoni is one of India's most successful captains. Considered one of the best finishers in the game, the CSK skipper scored 10773 runs in 350 ODIs at an average of 50.58. Incidentally, he scored the bulk of those runs batting in the lower-middle order for Team India.

His successor, too, wasn't any different. With over 12000 runs at an average of 58.07, Virat Kohli is considered one of the best batters of his generation.

But the whole dynamic changes when it comes to the longest format of the game.

As a captain who led by example, Virat Kohli's numbers in Tests as a skipper are unparalleled in Indian cricket. During his reign as the Test skipper, the 33-year-old scored 5864 runs at an average of 54.80 - the most in Tests by an Indian skipper.

Virat Kohli also leads the charts in most double hundreds by a skipper in tests (7). Incidentally, he is only behind Graeme Smith (8659), Alan Border (6623) and Ricky Ponting (6542) in the list of most runs scored by any Test captain.

On the other hand, with 3454 runs as a Test skipper, MS Dhoni's numbers weren't as impressive as his successor in the longest format of the game.

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#2. Attacking style of play

Well before he took over the Test captaincy of India, Virat Kohli was famous in the cricket fraternity for his aggression on the field. While he drew flak for his nature, it paid dividends after he became the Test skipper in 2014.

Unlike MS Dhoni, who was arguably more defensive on the field, the Delhi batter infused attacking intent into the team. Instead of playing for draws, the Indian team would go all out whenever they would take the field.

As mentioned by the former Indian skipper himself, a draw was the last resort that the team should have. Speaking during the press conference after a historic 2-1 series win against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli said:

“We maintain that drawing a Test match has to be the last option for our group of guys right now. They have responded beautifully and there is nothing better than winning.”

Watch the full press conference here:

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#1. More away wins in Tests

Team India under MS Dhoni didn't enjoy a good record in Test matches on foreign soil. Under the wicketkeeper-batter, the Indian team won only six matches on foreign soil and lost 15. Dhoni was also at the helm when India were thrashed 7-0 in England and Australia collectively.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli led his team to 16 wins and 14 losses overseas. This also includes India's first-ever Test series win in Australia. Under him, India also went on to register their third-ever win at Lord's, where they defended 271 runs on the final day of the match.

The prime reason behind Virat Kohli's success overseas was his decision to play five bowlers. The majority of the wins that came on foreign soil came on the shoulders of the bowlers, who picked up wickets at regular intervals.

The Delhi batter was also instrumental in the development of a strong core of Indian fast bowlers, who have largely assisted the team on the English and Australian pitches.