AB de Villiers compares Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar

South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has compared Indian Test batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, suggesting that Kohli surpassed the benchmarks set by Tendulkar. Speaking on his YouTube channel on August 19, 2026, following India’s 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in Galle, de Villiers noted that while Tendulkar pioneered the ability for subcontinent batters to succeed in bouncy and seaming conditions, Kohli “took that forward and raised the bar.”

Statistical comparisons highlight their different impacts. Tendulkar, who retired in 2013, accumulated 15,921 Test runs, with 8,705 scored overseas. In SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia), Tendulkar averaged 51.30 with 17 centuries. Kohli, who retired from Test cricket in May 2025, finished with 9,230 runs, including 4,774 scored outside India. In SENA conditions, Kohli recorded 3,661 runs at an average of 42.08, featuring 12 centuries.