Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar All Records: A Rivalry Written in Time, Not Headlines

Every age has someone to hold up a mirror to us. In some instances, it can be excruciating, and at others, poetic. Only in rare cases does it gift us two titanic figures – separated by decades but united by intent. This is what the debate’ Kohli vs Sachin – all records’ is – not an ego tussle but a narrative of cricket’s transformation. It extends beyond mere hundreds scored. The centuries and the narrative of how and when they were achieved matter too.   

You can’t check Tendulkar and Kohli off a list like one does with brands of smartphones. There’s no feature checklist, and it can’t be based solely on metrics. One was a boy soldier bearing the burden of post-liberalization India. The other? A man stalking phantoms in a world of trolls and truncated formats on Twitter. Of course, one can analyze both their records and decipher the narrative.

Table 1: Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar – Career Stats (as of 2025)

Format	Matches (Tendulkar)	Runs (Tendulkar)	100s (Tendulkar)	Matches (Kohli)	Runs (Kohli)	100s (Kohli)
Tests	200	15,921	51	113	8,848	29
ODIs	463	18,426	49	292	13,848	50
T20Is	–	–	–	117	4,037	1
IPL	–	–	–	237	7,300+	7

Note: Sachin never played a T20I or IPL in his peak years. Kohli didn’t have that luxury — he had to master all formats simultaneously.

When Pressure Was Real: Sachin in the ’90s, Kohli in the Chase

To watch Tendulkar in Sharjah, 1998, was to witness serenity in chaos. Bowlers feared him even before warm-ups. And yet, most of his career happened when India wasn’t winning consistently. So, many of those tons came in defeats. That doesn’t reduce them — it elevates them. Because he wasn’t riding waves. He was creating them.

Kohli, meanwhile, has made chasing 300 look like Sunday brunch. His record in run-chases — particularly in ODIs — is arguably the most defining of any modern batter. It’s not just the average, but the confidence he instilled. When Kohli was in at No. 3, fans didn’t hope. They expected. That’s its own kind of burden.

Table 2: Record in ICC Tournaments – Who Owned the Big Stage?

Tournament	Matches (Tendulkar)	Runs	100s	Best Year	Matches (Kohli)	Runs	100s	Best Year
World Cup (ODI)	45	2,278	6	2003 (673 runs)	37	1,795	5	2019 (443 runs)
Champions Trophy	16	441	1	2000	14	529	2	2013 (176 runs)
T20 World Cup	–	–	–	–	27	1,141	0	2014 (319 runs)

Kohli holds T20 records because Tendulkar never played that format internationally. But the story in ICC ODI events is tighter. Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in World Cup history. Besides, Kohli’s edge is his consistency — never going below 200 runs in any World Cup campaign since 2011.

The Century Talk: Context vs Count

By 2023, Kohli broke Tendulkar’s record for most ODI hundreds. On paper? That settles one part of the debate. But again, numbers wear masks. Tendulkar got his tons when ODI pitches weren’t roads and fielding restrictions weren’t as lenient. Kohli’s fifties often turn into hundreds — a nod to his temperament.

But here’s the truth: Kohli has always played with the benefit of data. Tendulkar played with instinct. You feel that in their shot selection. You see it in how they approached 90s. When Sachin reached 97, the stadium held its breath. When Kohli does? He’s already planning the next over.

The Weight of Leadership

Sachin was never a great captain. He admitted that. It dimmed his spark. Kohli, on the other hand, thrived in it — at least until the final stretch. Under Kohli, India became a pace-heavy, gym-toned, fielding-obsessed unit. He made Test wins abroad a mission, not a miracle.

But Kohli’s reign lacked ICC silverware. That’s the cruel irony. A man who redefined how India played across formats couldn’t lift a global trophy as skipper. Sachin did — albeit in his twilight, when Dhoni’s cool hands carried the final blow in 2011.

Batting Style: The Sound of the Ball

Tendulkar’s cover drive was silk dipped in steel. Kohli’s flick off the pads? Poetry with muscle. Sachin adjusted for bounce. Kohli adjusts for pace. Both dissected attacks. Both could bat blindfolded on instinct. But the atmospheres they created were different.

When Tendulkar walked in, there was reverence. When Kohli arrives, there’s electricity. One felt like watching a monk at work. The other? A general leading charge.

Final Word: Not Competition, But Continuum

This isn’t about who’s better. That question misses the point. It’s about what each man meant to his time. Tendulkar was a promise. Kohli, a fulfillment. Sachin brought belief. Kohli demanded dominance.

So the next time someone asks, “Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar all records — who wins?” just tell them: cricket did. Because it gave us both.