Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma - comparing their Test stats in the last five years

A week of uncertainties and surprises seems to have no end in sight, as Virat Kohli became the latest to dominate the headlines. Early reports this morning (May 10) suggested that the veteran batter has informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about his wish to retire from Test cricket.

This news comes days after skipper Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Tests through his Instagram handle. The duo has carried the Indian batting lineup across formats over the past decade.

While Kohli and Rohit are often considered white-ball legends, their Test records are not too far behind. The pair have combined for over 13,500 runs and 42 centuries in their illustrious Test careers.

Yet, both batters have suffered massive form dips in the red-ball format since the turn of the decade. It led to fans posing uncomfortable questions around their inclusion in the Indian Test side as the team crumbled to embarrassing series losses to New Zealand and Australia.

How much did Kohli and Rohit drop off since 2020, and was there merit to such questions asked by fans and even former players?

Let us deep dive into their Test numbers over the last five years (from Jan 1, 2020, to now) to find out.

# 1 Who scored more in Tests between Kohli and Rohit?

Team India enjoyed an incredibly successful run in Tests from 2020, with Virat Kohli leading the side until the start of 2022, before Rohit Sharma took over. They finished runners-up in the 2021 and 2023 World Test Championship (WTC).

However, they missed a hat-trick of WTC final qualification in the 2023-25 cycle.

Let us look at the overall batting numbers of both batters in Tests from the start of 2020 to now.

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma - Overall Numbers

Kohli has played four more Tests than Rohit since 2020, yet the latter has slightly outscored the former in this stretch. While Kohli has one more 50+ score than Rohit, the recently retired opener doubles him in the centuries by a 6-3 margin.

Edge: Rohit Sharma

# 2 Who won the consistency and impact battle?

Overall numbers aside, consistency and impact stats like average and contributions in team wins set apart the good from the great. While Kohli and Rohit won India several matches in the 2020s, their consistency numbers took a hit.

Here is a look at how both batters performed in terms of consistency and impact:

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma - Impact Numbers

The margins widen between Kohli and Rohit in the consistency and impact number categories in Tests since 2020. The former has subpar averages of 30.72 and 31.21 overall and in team wins.

Meanwhile, Rohit boasts only a moderate average of 36 overall in Tests in this stretch. Yet, the number shoots up to over 49 in Indian wins, highlighting his incredible impact. Rohit has six centuries in team victories compared to only one for Kohli, making him the clear winner.

Edge: Rohit Sharma

# 3 Kohli vs Rohit across conditions

Batters have often spoken about how the satisfaction of scoring Test runs away from home remains unmatched. Kohli and Rohit have played massive roles in India becoming a force abroad during their illustrious Test careers.

Thus, a worthwhile comparison will be Kohli and Rohit's Test numbers across conditions, including home, in the 2020s.

Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma - Conditions-wise Numbers

Kohli and Rohit did not play a single Test in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from 2020 to 2025. While both batters struggled even at home, Rohit's average of 35.58 is substantially better than Kohli's 29.92.

The duo thrived in West Indian conditions, with Kohli averaging a higher 98.50 than Rohit's 80. Kohli also fared better in South Africa and Australia during this period, while Rohit emerged victorious in England.

Kohli struggled the most in New Zealand with a sub-10 average. However, Rohit did not play in the two-match series at the start of 2020.

Edge: Tie

Conclusion

In conclusion, one look at the tables above will highlight Rohit and Kohli's struggles in Test cricket since the start of the ongoing decade. However, the former displayed slightly better consistency overall, with more match-winning knocks.

Winner: Rohit Sharma