"Don't compare him with Sachin Tendulkar, because he was able to play more Test matches" - Brad Hogg on Virat Kohli
Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg has urged people not to compare Virat Kohli to Sachin Tendulkar as he believes cricket has evolved considerably over the years for the two to be judged on the same parameters.
Even though Test cricket is placed on a pedestal in the modern day and age, its frequency has declined. The rise of T20 cricket and franchise-based leagues has led to a reduction in the number of Test matches played.
Sachin Tendulkar played 200 Tests for India, a feat that is unlikely to be bettered by any cricketer who has made his debut since the birth of T20 cricket. Kohli, by comparison, has only been able to play 106 Tests despite representing India consistently in whites for over a decade.
In this context, Hogg said on his YouTube channel that comparing Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar is a futile exercise. He also backed the former to score heavily in the upcoming WTC Final.
"Hopefully, we see the best of Kohli again," he said. "I think that there was too much pressure on Kohli in the last 2-3 years. The COVID, captaincy, and more cricket being played."
"Don't compare him with Sachin Tendulkar, because he was able to play more Test matches, and did not have to play IPL for the most part of his career," Hogg added. "I also think he is going to make a big one in the WTC Final as well."
Kohli recently turned 34 years old. And while his elite level of fitness means he will likely have a long career, the pressure of balancing all three formats as well as franchise cricket could prove to be a tipping point in the future.
"I feel very sorry for KL Rahul" - Brad Hogg
KL Rahul's removal as vice-captain of the Test team and his subsequent replacement by Shubman Gill midway through the Border-Gavaskar series was a highly-talked-about subject. Rahul struggled for runs, scoring only 38 runs across the first two matches before being dropped.
Hogg pointed out that Rahul has been used in various roles in the Indian team over the years.
"I feel very sorry for KL Rahul, because he has been put in different positions for the Indian team throughout the last 4-5 years," he said. "At the start of the WTC, he kept India afloat with a couple of crucial hundreds."
"Very disappointed to see him dropped," he added. "But we will have to see whether the team plays Gill over Rahul in the WTC Final, because Rahul has done well in England."
Rahul's woes in red-ball cricket began after the culmination of the tour of South Africa in January 2022. He constantly battled injuries and could not get into his groove, leading to a poor away series against Bangladesh where he led the team as well.
Is the comparison between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar justified by any means? Let us know what you think.