Virat Kohli vs Sir Vivian Richards - comparing their stats in Test cricket

Veteran Team India batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, May 12. The 36-year-old was earlier expected to be a part of the Indian side for the upcoming tour of England. However, the visitors will now be without both Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this month.

Kohli was part of the Indian team for the five-match Test series in Australia. The right-handed batter scored a fine hundred in the opening Test in Perth. However, he failed to make an impact in the remaining Tests, constantly perishing to deliveries outside the off stump. In the end, all he managed was 190 runs from nine innings at a poor average of 23.75.

While Kohli's performance level fell drastically towards the last few years, he will be remembered as one of the India's finest Test players. At his peak, he was often compared with the legendary West Indian Sir Vivian Richards. In the wake of Kohli's Test retirement, we compare his red-ball stats with that of Richards.

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Virat Kohli vs Sir Vivian Richards - Who has scored more runs and has a better average in Test cricket?

Kohli played 123 Tests in his career and notched up 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with the aid of 30 hundreds and 31 half-centuries. Of his 9,230 runs, he scored 2,232 runs against Australia from 30 matches at an average of 43.76. The right-hander also notched up 1,991 runs from 28 Tests against England and 1,408 runs from 16 Tests against South Africa.

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	HS	100s	50s
Virat Kohli	123	9,230	46.85	254*	30	31
Sir Viv Richards	121	8,540	50.23	291	24	45

(Kohli vs Richards batting record in Test matches)

Richards played 121 Test matches during his career and scored 8,540 runs at an average of 50.23, with 24 hundreds and 45 half-centuries to his name. Of his Test runs, 2,266 came against Australia from 34 matches at an average of 44.43. The former West Indies captain also scored 2,869 runs from 36 matches against England and 1,927 runs from 28 Tests against India.

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Virat Kohli vs Sir Vivian Richards - Who has scored more double hundreds in Test cricket?

Kohli scored a total of seven double hundreds in his Test career. His best of 254* came against South Africa in Pune in October 2019. He scored 213 against Sri Lanka in Nagpur in November 2017 and followed it up with 243 in the next Test of the series at his home ground in Delhi.

The former Indian captain scored one double ton away from home in Test cricket - 200 vs West Indies at North Sound. This was also his first double hundred in the Test format. He also notched up one double century each against New Zealand, England and Bangladesh.

Richards hit three double hundreds in his Test career. Impressively, all of them came away from home. The West Indies legend hammered 232 against England in Nottingham (June 1976), 291 against the same opposition at The Oval (August 1976) and 208 against Australia in Melbourne (December 1984),

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Virat Kohli vs Sir Vivian Richards - Who has a better record in winning causes in Test cricket?

Kohli featured in 62 Test matches that India won. In 102 innings, he scored 4,746 runs at an average of 51.58, with 14 hundreds and 16 half-centuries. His best of 254* against South Africa in October 2019 came in a winning cause.

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	HS	100s	50s
Virat Kohli	62	4,746	51.58	254*	14	16
Sir Viv Richards	63	4,300	52.43	291	12	22

(Kohli vs Richards batting record in winning causes in Test matches)

Richards was part of 63 Tests that West Indies won. In 90 matches, he notched up 4,300 runs at an average of 52.43, with 12 hundreds and 22 half-centuries. His best of 291 against England at The Oval in August 1976 came in a winning cause.

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Virat Kohli vs Sir Vivian Richards - Who has a better record in away Tests?

Kohli played 66 Tests away from home, scoring 4,774 runs at an average of 41.51, with 16 hundreds and 18 half-centuries. He also played two Tests at neutral venues, scoring 120 runs, with a best of 49. Kohli's best score away from home (200) came against West Indies at North Sound in July 2016.

Richards featured in 73 Test matches away from home. In 115 innings, he scored 5,404 runs at an average of 50.50, with the aid of 13 hundreds and 31 half-centuries, which included his best of 291 at The Oval in August 1976.