Virat Kohli called greater than Sachin Tendulkar; Ajit Agarkar threatened to pick him for 2027 World Cup

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has sparked a huge debate ahead of India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia. Harmison has called Virat Kohli the greatest cricketer of the last three decades, putting him even above one of the greatest batters ever, Sachin Tendulkar.

Harmison believes that Virat Kohli’s dominance in the modern era, apart from his ability to handle the constant pressure and distractions of today’s game, sets him apart from everyone else. The former Indian captain has built an extraordinary career in ODI cricket.

Steve Harmison names Virat Kohli the 'Greatest Cricketer' of the last three decades

In 302 matches, the dashing right-handed batter has so far amassed over 14,000 runs at an astonishing average of around 58. He has 51 centuries and 74 fifties to his name in the format.

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As Kohli is set to return to action with the Australia tour, Harmison pointed out that the iconic batter not only gives strength to India’s batting but also that fearless attitude to the side.

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Steve Harmison was quoted as saying by talkSPORT Cricket: “I put Virat Kohli at number one over Sachin Tendulkar, and that would raise a lot of eyebrows. But I thought his career, and what he had to do in his career, was—I thought the way the game changed over the course of these last ten years, Virat had to have dealt with a hell of a lot more off-the-field stuff that would affect him on the field. I think for me, in the last 20-30 years, the greatest cricketer that has played the game—you take Shane Warne out, because he had come a lot before—I think it's Virat Kohli.”

Steve Harmison says Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma don’t need domestic cricket to prove themselves

Meanwhile, there are growing discussions about the future of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in India’s plans for the ICC World Cup 2027. Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently mentioned that senior players should play in domestic cricket to stay in contention.

But Harmison believes that the selectors and team management should not have such expectations from Rohit and Virat, given their experience. They rarely play domestic cricket, and the commentator defended the duo by saying that they have been playing non-stop in India.

The Englishman has mentioned that Virat and Rohit have been constantly on the road with India, and with the amount of cricket they play, he doesn’t think the batting icons need to play domestic cricket.

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Steve Harmison predicts 'First-Round Knockout' for India without Virat Kohli

Even the commentator warned that leaving out Kohli from the ICC World Cup 2027 could backfire badly, describing it as a potential “first-round knockout” for India. He called Kohli irreplaceable given his incredible record in run chases—over 8000 runs at an average of 64 with 28 centuries.

Harmison signed off by saying, “If Agarkar's looking for a fight, he might get one, but he's not going to win, unfortunately. This is not going the distance. This could be a heavy knockout in the first round if he tries to go in, especially without Virat.”