Will back Kane Williamson over Virat Kohli in tougher conditions, Kohli better bet in easier circumstances: Glenn Turner

One of the raging debates in world cricket at the moment centers on answering who among Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson is the best batsman currently.

For any Indian fan, the answer will be Indian skipper Virat Kohli, but for former New Zealand skipper Glenn Turner, the answer is Kane Williamson when the conditions are tough for batting.

Glenn Turner believes that main difference between Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson is the conditions they have been bought up on.

“The significant differences between talented batsmen are generated by the playing conditions they were brought up on, along with their personalities,” Glenn Turner was quoted as saying by The Telegraph newspaper.

“Kohli is less likely to have been exposed early in his development to seaming pitches and the ball continuing to swing for extended periods, whereas Williamson will have experienced those conditions more often,” the 73-year-old added.

Virat Kohli averages more than 50 in all three formats of the game – Tests, ODIs and T20s. The Indian skipper has so far piled up 7240 Test and 11867 ODIs in an international career spanning 10 years.

Kane Williamson, on the other hand, has an equally impressive average of 50.99 for 6476 Test runs while he has also scored 6173 runs at an average of 47.48 in ODIs as well.

“Kohli’s greater exposure to pitches that take turn will have him more accustomed to playing spin better. Conditions less favourable for swing and seamers will also have allowed him more opportunities to become good at aggressively dominating that type of bowling,” Glenn Turner said about Virat Kohli’s mastery over turning tracks.

Glenn Turner, one of the finest New Zealand batsman of his era, also believes that Virat Kohli’s natural aggression separates him from Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson.

“Besides, Kohli’s personality appears to be more naturally aggressive and confrontational than Williamson’s, but that does not leave either party with less determination to succeed. Their main motivation to succeed is contrasting, but so what!

“I would only say that under tougher batting conditions, I would back Williamson ahead of Kohli. Under good batting conditions, Kohli is likely to be more dominant, thereby providing his team with more time to get a favourable result,” Glenn Turner explained.

Glenn Turner, who averaged 44.64 in Tests and 47 in ODIs, was also critical of Virat Kohli’s defensive mindset when it comes to field placements.

“I would need to complete a lot more analysis on Kohli’s captaincy in particular. Now, in terms of distinctive features, I have noticed a policy of today’s captains in general being unwilling to set really attacking fields even in a situation when they are in a position of total dominance.

“I have pondered over the possible reasons for this occurring. It’s a subject that teams need to talk about,” Glenn Turner felt.