Virat Kohli and Joe Root. The debate over who scores more runs came to a head last week when Michael Vaughan dug up the stats of the world’s two best batsmen and decided to make fun of Indian fans. Root is currently in form, ticking all the boxes, scoring hundreds for fun and closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s record for Test runs. Root is the closest anyone has come to eclipsing the Master Blaster in Tests, less than a year after Kohli broke Little Master’s record for ODI hundreds. Once part of the Fab Four, Kohli and Root are still going strong, but the former England captain has managed to leave Kohli in the dust in Tests – by quite a distance – over the last few years.

There is no doubt that Kohli is a better ODI and T20I player than Root, but he has some catching up to do in Tests. As Kohli and Root enter the final years of their international careers, what better time than now to debate who is the better batsman. That was the thought that must have gone through the minds of former Ashes rivals Vaughan and Adam Gilchrist. When the two sat down to share their honest opinions on Kohli vs Root, Vaughan and Gilchrist agreed on most aspects, except for one towards the end.

Below is the interview from the Club Prairie Fire podcast:

Vaughan: So in T20 we say: Virat?

Gilchrist: Yes. The better of the two in T20? Yes, I’d take him.

Vaughan: In 50 overs, Virat

Gilchrist: Yes, definitely

Vaughan: In Test cricket, Joe. Seriously?

Gilchrist: In recent times, definitely

Vaughan: To sum up…

Gilchrist: Joe Root’s stats over a long period are, well, the best England have ever had.

Heavenly hosts: Who are you backing in the Virat vs Joe Root vs Australia clash?

Gilchrist: In Australia, in the WACA, I don’t think Joe would have scored a hundred points there.

Vaughan: No, but it will be

Gilchrist: Virat scored one of the best tons I’ve seen at Perth Stadium in the first Test he played there. That was a different sauce altogether. I’d probably say Virat.

Vaughan: I would argue with that… in Australia. I would say Virat in Australia against the Australians and anywhere else, I’d go with Joe Root. Look at Joe Root’s record in India.

How Kohli in Australia compares to Root in India

To stop at that last point, Kohli has a much better record in Australia – 1352 runs from 13 Tests at an average of 54.08, including six centuries. Root, meanwhile, played an additional Test match but managed no more than 892 runs without a single century.

Vaughan is confident that these oddities and stats will change when England travel to Australia for the Ashes next year, and he proudly points to Joe’s record in India, which stands at an impressive 1,272 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 45.42, including three centuries.