Joe Root vs Virat Kohli? Dinesh Karthik drags Michael Vaughan after the latter's recent verdict

Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik weighed in on the debate between Joe Root and Virat Kohli for a better Test batter.

Dinesh Karthik said that Joe Root has superior stats over Virat Kohli in Test cricket, but he picked the former Indian captain as the cricketer he would choose to bat for his life.

The debate over who is the better Test batter between Joe Root and Virat Kohli was ignited by former England captain Michael Vaughan.

This discussion began after Root scored his 34th Test century against Sri Lanka at Lord's. Vaughan shared a post on a comparison between the two-star batters.

During a YouTube podcast show, Michael Vaughan dragged former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist into the discussion. Gilchrist backed Virat Kohli as the better batter across all formats. Kohli's Test form has recently dipped, but he has been a match-winner for India in white-ball formats.

Numbers Will Tell You It's Joe Root - Dinesh Karthik

On Cricbuzz's 'HeyCB with DK' show, Dinesh Karthik was asked about the debate between Joe Root and Virat Kohli.

Karthik praised Kohli for his ability to perform in crucial moments and big series. The former wicketkeeper-batter named Kohli as the player he would choose to bat for his life.

“Numbers will tell you it's Joe Root, but my heart, the fact that he is someone I've seen playing in close quarters for the longest time now, over a decade...I know how he loves playing those big moments and big series,” Dinesh Karthik said.

"And if somebody asks him questions, he will come to you so strongly that you will be thinking, 'Wow, why did I even ask that question.' If I were given a question of who would bat for my life, it would be Kohli. No doubt,” he added.

Joe Root Sits At No. 1 Position In ICC Test Batter’s Ranking

Joe Root has been in exceptional form in Test cricket. The 33-year-old is the top-ranked player in the ICC Test batter’s rankings.

He surpassed Alastair Cook’s record for the most Test centuries by an England player. He is now on the verge of breaking Cook’s record for most Test runs for England.

Root debuted for England in a Test match against India in December 2012. He will next be seen in action during the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval.

The right-handed batter has the opportunity to become the first cricketer to score 5,000 runs in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

The former England skipper is the sixth-highest run-scorer in Test history, having scored 12,377 runs in 145 games.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli has scored 8,848 runs in 113 Tests. Kohli averages under 35 in this format since 2020, and he is scheduled to play 10 more Tests over the next three months.

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