Former Indian player turned commentator Aakash Chopra believes Virat Kohli is clearly superior to Sachin Tendulkar in ODIs, based on their away numbers. However, the Kohli-Tendulkar debate made headlines in the past few days after former South African captain AB de Villiers called Kohli the better Test batter away from home. While numbers say otherwise, with Tendulkar having much better numbers than Kohli in Tests, the same cannot be said in ODIs as well. Tendulkar remains the all-time leading ODI run-scorer with 18,426 runs, while Kohli is second with 14,941 runs as well.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel, “Overall in SENA countries, Virat clearly has Sachin beat. When it comes to ODI cricket, there is no comparison. Even with any parameter and excuses like the difference in eras accounted for, there hasn’t been a better ODI player than Virat Kohli. No one has understood ODI cricket better than Kohli. He has measured this format like a calculator and become the run machine, ton machine, and chase master. So while Sachin has stolen the march between these two in Tests, in ODIs, it’s clearly Virat Kohli.”

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“In Australia, New Zealand and England, Kohli wins over Sachin by numbers in ODIs. Virat Kohli is just the ODI GOAT and the best to have played this format. And he is not slowing down and not stopping anytime soon. When it comes to South Africa, you have to hold your breath before seeing Kohli’s numbers. He averages over 76 in ODIs in South Africa, when usually everyone else’s numbers drop off there. Unfortunately, Sachin averages only 38 even in South Africa,” he further added.

Despite his claim that Virat Kohli is superior to the batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Aakash Chopra said that a longer stint in the middle order works to Tendulkar’s disadvantage as well. He also stated that Tendulkar had to deal with reverse swing as a middle-order batter early in his ODI career as well.

“It is important to remember that during Sachin’s time, scores were much lesser. He also started in the lower middle-order when reverse swing was prevalent. Kohli also started lower in the order, but he climbed the ladder quickly, while it took Sachin longer. Because of that, Virat has a slight advantage, but even accounting for that, Kohli’s numbers are absolutely outstanding,” Aakash Chopra concluded.