Virat Kohli or Joe Root? Adam Gilchrist picks his choice for the best in Australian conditions

Legendary Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has chosen Virat Kohli over Joe Root for Test matches in Australian conditions. Gilchrist reckons that Kohli's brilliant hundred in Perth during the 2018-19 Test series in Australia gets him ahead of Root.

Virat Kohli has scored six hundreds in Australia and boasts a tremendous record in the country.

His first Test hundred also came in Australia (Adelaide) during the 2011-12 Test series down under. Since then, Australia has been one of his favorite countries to score runs.

On the other hand, England great Joe Root is yet to score a hundred in Australia despite touring the country for the Ashes series multiple times.

Surprisingly, a batter of the caliber of Joe Root, who has scored over 12000 runs in Test cricket is yet to score a Test hundred in Australia.

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Adam Gilchrist picks between Virat Kohli and Joe Root

While speaking on Club Prairie Fire, Adam Gilchrist had a tough one to choose between Virat Kohli and Joe Root.

Kohli is way ahead of Root in white-ball cricket and Gilchrist was quick to accept this fact. However, when it came to the Test format, the former Australia cricketer was forced to give it some more thought.

"They are exceptional numbers, particularly for Joe Root. I am looking at Virat's (Kohli) numbers here in front of me that we've got and they are extraordinary. I mean you're thinking of the likes of Chappell, Ponting from the Australian point of view. The 50-number mark is always the benchmark of greatness, isn't it?" Gilchrist reckoned.

But you couple Virat's (numbers) with his ODI (numbers), particularly, and his T20I career, that's just fascinating.

When asked to choose between the two in T20Is, Gilchrist picked Kohli. "Yeah, I'll take him (Virat Kohli)," he said. The 52-year-old picked Kohli for the ODI format as well.

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The guys debate who they would pick in every format 🏏 in different countries 🇦🇺 and you might be surprised 😮

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— Club Prairie Fire (@clubprairiefire) September 4, 2024

Adam Gilchrist rates Virat Kohli higher than Joe Root in Australian conditions

When asked if Root is ahead of Kohli in Tests, Afam Gilchrist said, "In the last short while. For a long period, Joe Root is the best England has ever had."

The legendary wicketkeeper was also asked to choose between Virat Kohli and Joe Root in Australian conditions (particularly in Perth). Since Root doesn't have a hundred in Australia and Kohli has scored six in the country so far, Gilchrist picked Kohli.

"I don't think Joe has scored a hundred here (in Australia). Virat scored one of the best tons I have seen in the Perth Stadium in the first Test match ever played there. That was of different gravy. I'll probably say Virat," he added.

Virat Kohli has a great record against Australia which makes him such an important batter for India against them. Kohli will be in action in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year where Australia will host India for a five-match Test series.

The series is highly anticipated since India have beaten Australia in the last four Test series between the two nations. The Men in Blue have registered historic wins in the Test series down under on the last two occasions.