Virat Kohli vs MS Dhoni - comparing their stats in the Champions Trophy
Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli is undoubtedly one of the finest players to ever play the game of cricket. While his recent form may not be at its peak, his career numbers remain outstanding, particularly in limited-overs cricket, where he has been especially dominant in 50-over formats.
The Delhi-born cricketer has featured in 297 ODIs for India, amassing 13,963 runs at an impressive average of 57.93. He ranks third on the all-time list, behind only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), and has scored 73 fifties and 50 centuries.
Meanwhile, former Indian captain MS Dhoni announced his retirement from white-ball formats in August 2020. During his illustrious career, Dhoni led India to three ICC trophies and played 350 ODIs for the Men in Blue. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 10,773 runs at an average of 50.57, including 73 fifties and 10 centuries.
Both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni have made invaluable contributions to Indian cricket. In this article, we will compare their performances in the history of the Champions Trophy.
Comparing the stats of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in the Champions Trophy
#1 Overall runs
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has played 13 matches in the Champions Trophy, amassing 529 runs at a remarkable average of 88.16 and a strike rate of 92.32. His record includes five fifties, with his highest score being an unbeaten 96.
On the other hand, MS Dhoni played 16 matches for India in the Champions Trophy throughout his career. The 43-year-old scored 183 runs across eight innings, with an average of 22.87 and a strike rate of 84.33, which included two fifties.
#2 Statistics of the duo across different editions
Virat Kohli has competed in three editions of the ICC Champions Trophy (2009, 2013, and 2017). In the 2009 edition, Kohli played three matches, scoring 95 runs at an average of 95 and a strike rate of 74.21, with his highest score being an unbeaten 79 against the West Indies.
During the 2013 edition, in which India emerged victorious, the right-handed batter accumulated 176 runs in five innings at an average of 58.66 and a strike rate of 95.65. His tally included one fifty, with his highest score being an unbeaten 58 against Sri Lanka.
In the 2017 edition, Kohli had a stellar tournament, amassing 258 runs in five innings at a remarkable average of 129 and a strike rate of 98.85. He scored three fifties, with his highest score being an unbeaten 96 against Bangladesh in the semi-final.
On the other hand, MS Dhoni participated in four editions of the Champions Trophy (2006, 2009, 2013, and 2017).
In the 2006 edition, Dhoni scored 86 runs in three matches (three innings), with an average of 28.66 and a strike rate of 78.18, including one fifty. In the 2009 edition, Dhoni managed just three runs in three matches (one innings), with an average of 3 and a strike rate of 33.33.
In the 2013 edition, which India won under his captaincy, Dhoni accumulated 27 runs in five matches (two innings) at an average of 13.50 and a strike rate of 90. In his final appearance in 2017, Dhoni scored 67 runs in five matches (two innings) at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 98.52, including one fifty. His highest score was 63 against Sri Lanka.
#3 Runs in a winning cause
Virat Kohli has played 13 Champions Trophy matches for India, with the team winning nine of them. In these matches, the experienced batter has scored 508 runs at an impressive average of 169.33 and a strike rate of 94.98, including five fifties.
MS Dhoni has participated in 16 Champions Trophy matches for India, with the team winning 10 of them. In these 10 victories, Dhoni batted just three times, accumulating 34 runs at an average of 11.33 and a strike rate of 65.38.