Babar Azam and Virat Kohli have been cricket's default comparison for close to a decade now, and the debate usually runs on vibes: timing versus intensity, elegance versus intent. The actual numbers say something more interesting than the argument does, and in at least one format they say something most people watching wouldn't guess. Here's every format, side by side, pulled straight from career records.
Test cricket
Kohli has played almost twice as many Tests and has more than double Babar's career runs, at a slightly higher average. The gap that stands out is conversion. Babar has 33 Test fifties but only 9 hundreds, barely a quarter converted, while Kohli has turned 30 of his 31 fifties into centuries, missing only one. Babar gets in more often than the century count suggests; he just doesn't often turn a good start into a big one.
One Day Internationals
This is the format where Kohli's case is least arguable. A 59.28 average across 311 matches is one of the great ODI records outright, and 54 centuries is more than double Babar's 20. Babar's own 55.03 average is still elite by any standard other than Kohli's; on a pure runs-per-innings basis the two are closer than the volume numbers make them look, but Kohli scores faster and converts more often on top of the bigger sample.
T20 Internationals: the surprising one
Babar has more T20I runs and three centuries to Kohli's zero. That's the most-repeated line in this comparison, and the most misleading one on its own. Kohli's average (48.40 vs 39.18) and strike rate (136.06 vs 128.32) are both higher than Babar's. He has simply never turned a fifty into a hundred in this format, 37 fifties and not one converted, while doing more damage per innings than Babar does on the way there. Two batters can both be right about being excellent and still be excellent in different ways.
The power numbers flip the usual script, too. Kohli has hit a six roughly once every innings in T20Is (115 sixes from 113 innings). Babar's rate is closer to once every two innings (80 sixes from 134). The reputations run the other way: Babar's game is normally described as timing and placement, Kohli's as intensity and running. On sixes specifically, Kohli's the bigger hitter.
Where they stand today
The formats split further than the stats alone suggest. Kohli's Test career ended in January 2025 and his T20I career in June 2024; he continues only in ODIs now. Babar remains active across all three formats, with recorded appearances in each as recently as mid-2026. Any comparison going forward is really a comparison between an ODI specialist at the tail of a legendary career and a batter still adding to three formats at once.
The fantasy cricket read
For fantasy purposes the two are picked differently, not equally. Kohli is now an ODI-only captain option: elite when he's on the field, irrelevant in Test or T20I fantasy contests since he's not playing them. Babar is a three-format lock, a lower ceiling than peak Kohli in any single format, but the only one of the two you can build a team around regardless of which format is live. Neither answer to 'who's better' changes who you should captain this week. That depends on the format in front of you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the better Test average, Babar Azam or Virat Kohli?
Kohli, 46.85 to 44.09. That's close on paper, but Kohli has nearly double Babar's Test runs (9,230 to 4,674) and converts fifties into hundreds far more often.
Does Babar Azam have a higher T20I strike rate than Virat Kohli?
No. Kohli's T20I strike rate (136.06) and average (48.40) are both higher than Babar's (128.32 and 39.18), despite Babar having more T20I runs and centuries from a bigger sample of innings.
Is Virat Kohli still playing Test cricket?
No. Kohli's last recorded Test appearance was January 2025 and his last T20I was June 2024. He continues to play ODI cricket only. Babar Azam remains active across all three formats.
Who should I captain in fantasy cricket, Babar Azam or Virat Kohli?
It depends entirely on the format live that day. Kohli is ODI-only now, while Babar is your only option of the two for Test or T20I fantasy contests. Check the full head-to-head tool for a match-specific breakdown.
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