⚔️HEAD-TO-HEAD
Eshan Malinga vs Virat Kohli: Who Is Better? International Stats Comparison
Virat Kohli has the edge on the headline numbers: Virat Kohli leads on T20I batting (4,188 runs, avg 48.7). Full T20I, ODI, Test and IPL stats are below.
Eshan Malinga (Sunrisers Hyderabad) has 5 T20I runs at avg 5.0 in 11 matches. Virat Kohli (India) has 4,188 T20I runs at avg 48.7 in 125 matches. Head-to-head batting, bowling & fielding across T20I, ODI & Test.
Full season · batting · bowling · fielding · MOTM · form
Eshan Malinga vs Virat Kohli · Stat Comparison Table
Head-to-head numbers at a glance. Higher value is highlighted in green (lower is better for economy and bowling/batting averages).
| Statistic | Eshan Malinga | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 20 | 20 |
| Avg fantasy points | 50 | 81 |
| Best fantasy score | 166 | 211 |
| Runs | 31 | 889 |
| Strike rate | 75.6 | 149.4 |
| Fours | 3 | 94 |
| Sixes | 1 | 32 |
| Half-centuries (50+) | 0 | 6 |
| Centuries (100+) | 0 | 2 |
| Highest score | 14 | 139 |
| Wickets | 27 | 0 |
| Economy rate | 8.44 | 0.00 |
| Best spell (wkts) | 4 | 0 |
| Catches | 5 | 11 |
| Total dismissals | 6 | 12 |
| Statistic | Eshan Malinga | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 11 | 125 |
| Runs | 5 | 4188 |
| Batting average | 5.00 | 48.70 |
| Strike rate | 50.0 | 137.0 |
| Centuries (100+) | 0 | 1 |
| Half-centuries (50+) | 0 | 38 |
| Wickets | 9 | 4 |
| Bowling average | 34.67 | 51.00 |
| Economy rate | 9.22 | 8.05 |
📋 Format by format
T20I. Eshan Malinga has played 11 T20Is and Virat Kohli 125. Eshan Malinga has 5 runs at 5.0 (strike rate 50.0), against 4,188 at 48.7 (137.0) for Virat Kohli, so Virat Kohli has scored more. Hundreds: Eshan Malinga 0, Virat Kohli 1. Fifties: 0 and 38. With the ball, Eshan Malinga has 9 wickets at an economy of 9.22 and Virat Kohli 4 at 8.05; Eshan Malinga has more wickets while Virat Kohli is more economical.
ODI. Eshan Malinga has played 7 ODIs and Virat Kohli 315. Eshan Malinga has 14 runs at 4.7 (strike rate 25.4), against 15,080 at 59.1 (95.5) for Virat Kohli, so Virat Kohli has scored more. Hundreds: Eshan Malinga 0, Virat Kohli 55. Fifties: 0 and 79. With the ball, Eshan Malinga has 4 wickets at an economy of 6.03 and Virat Kohli 5 at 6.16; Virat Kohli has more wickets while Eshan Malinga is more economical.
International numbers up to 19 July 2026.
What is happening now
Most ODI centuries in history and a 2026 IPL champion with Bengaluru
IPL 2026: 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.9 in 16 innings. Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by six wickets in the final at Ahmedabad.
Full Kohli profile →Did you know: Virat Kohli
- Born 5 November 1988. Former captain of India in all formats.
- Most centuries in ODIs and the second-most in international cricket, with 86: 55 in ODIs, 30 in Tests and 1 in T20Is.
- Test highest score of 254 not out.
- ODI highest score of 183.
🧠Quick quiz: Eshan Malinga and Virat Kohli
2 questions, answers explained. No sign-up needed.
- 1. What is Kohli's highest Test score?
- 2. In which year did Kohli retire from Test cricket?
Eshan Malinga vs Virat Kohli · T20I is a highly-debated cricket matchup. Below are their T20I career highlights.
T20I career: Eshan Malinga has scored 5 T20I runs in 11 matches at an average of 5.00. He has also taken 9 T20I wickets at an average of 34.67 with an economy of 9.22.
T20I career: Virat Kohli has scored 4,188 T20I runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.70, with 1 century. He has also taken 4 T20I wickets at an average of 51.00 with an economy of 8.05.
Fantasy Impact: From a pure fantasy perspective, Virat Kohli is the stronger pick with an average of 81 pts per game in recent fantasy cricket. Always check the playing XI and toss before locking in your captain.
Stats are sourced from international career records. Compare more players using our Player Comparison Tool.
Who has better fantasy stats, Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli?
Eshan Malinga vs Virat Kohli: who is a better fantasy captain?
Who has a better strike rate, Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli?
What is the price difference between Eshan Malinga and Virat Kohli?
How many MOTM awards have Eshan Malinga and Virat Kohli won?
Should I pick Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli in my fantasy XI?
Who has more T20I runs, Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli?
Who has more ODI runs, Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli?
SETTLE IT IN A GAME
Numbers only get you so far. Pick a side, Eshan Malinga or Virat Kohli, and see who actually delivers.
Found an issue or have a suggestion? Contact us — we’d love to hear from you.