Steve Smith vs Virat Kohli - which batter has a better Test record in England ahead of WTC final?
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith will be expected to play pivotal roles for their respective teams in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final. Both players have established themselves as batting lynchpins for India and Australia, respectively, over the last decade.
If we look at their batting numbers in the ongoing WTC cycle (2021-23), Kohli has scored 869 runs in 16 matches at an average of 32.18, with one hundred and three fifties. The 34-year-old went through a lean period for the most part of the championship but notched up a defiant 186 in the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March this year.
On the other hand, Smith has performed much better. In 19 WTC matches of the current cycle, he has scored 1252 runs at an average of 50.08, with three hundreds and six fifties.
As Kohli and Smith prepare for the WTC final, which will be played at the Kennington Oval in London from June 7 to 11, we compare the Test records of the two star batters in England.
Kohli’s Test record in England
Looking at Kohli first, he has a rather poor Test record in England. Heading into the WTC final, he has played 16 matches, scoring 1033 runs at an underwhelming average of 33.32, with two hundreds.
The former Indian captain’s numbers are below par primarily because he had a disastrous maiden Test tour of the UK in 2014. Kohli was constantly troubled by James Anderson, who bowled a probing line outside the off stump and managed only 134 runs in five Tests at an average of 13.40, with a best of 39.
When Kohli returned to England in 2018, he was a changed batter. A much-improved version of his earlier self, the right-handed batter had a terrific series this time even as India went down 1-4.
In five Tests of the 2018 tour, Kohli amassed 593 runs at an average of 59.30. He smashed two hundreds during the Test series - 149 in Birmingham and 103 in Nottingham.
Kohli narrowly missed out on a hundred in both innings in Nottingham as he was dismissed for 97 in the first essay. He looked in great touch during the tour almost every time he walked out to bat.
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Kohli, however, had an average tour in 2021, which included the WTC final against New Zealand in Southampton. Played at a time when he had suffered a batting slump, the right-hander managed only 275 runs in five matches, averaging 30.55, with a best of 55.
Captaining India in the maiden WTC final, Kohli scored 44 and 13 as India went down by eight wickets.
In the rescheduled Test against England in Birmingham last year, Kohli made more news for his sledging that his batting. He was dismissed for 11 and 20 as India lost the Test by seven wickets.
Smith’s Test record in England
Shifting focus to Smith, he has also played 16 Tests in England but has a much superior record to Kohli. The Aussie run machine has scored 1727 runs at an average of 59.55, with as many as six hundreds.
His performances in Tests in England have got progressively better. In 2010, when he was yet to establish himself as a batter, he played two Tests against Pakistan, scoring 100 runs at an average of 25, with a best of 77.
During his first Ashes series in England in 2013, Smith scored 345 runs in five matches at an average of 38.33. He notched up half-centuries in Nottingham (53) and Manchester (89) before reaching the three-figure mark in the final Test in The Oval - 138*. Smith's efforts came in a losing cause as England won the series 3-0.
Smith was highly impressive during the 2015 Ashes in England, scoring 508 runs in five Tests at an average of 56.44. The right-handed batter smashed one double hundred and a century - 215 at Lord’s and 143 at The Oval. Despite Smith’s brilliance, England won the series 3-2.
Returning from his ball-tampering ban, Smith was absolutely exceptional in the 2019 Ashes. Hungry to make up for the lost time, the Aussie amassed 774 runs in four Tests at a stupendous average of 110.57, with three hundreds.
Smith smacked 144 and 142 in Birmingham, 92 at Lord’s, 211 and 82 in Manchester, and 80 at the Oval. His brilliance went a long way in Australia holding a strong England side to a 2-2 draw.
Clearly, Smith has a much superior record than Kohli in Tests in England. However, the Indian batter will be keen to make amends by delivering the goods in the WTC final against Australia.