Bit of confusion’: AB de Villiers admits Tendulkar has better Test record than Kohli, says stats aren’t everything

AB de Villiers has sought to clarify his controversial remark that Virat Kohli was a better overseas Test batter than Sachin Tendulkar, saying his comments were blown out of proportion and were simply a reflection of his personal opinion.

The former South Africa captain said he was not comparing the two legends purely on statistics. While acknowledging that Tendulkar’s Test record is far superior, de Villiers maintained that Kohli had a greater impact in terms of inspiring the next generation and adapting to the demands of modern cricket.

“There was a bit of confusion with my Virat and Sachin comment. Remember, it’s my opinion. I’m not axing anyone. I’m telling you the way that I see it,” de Villiers said in his latest YouTube video.

He credited Tendulkar with setting the benchmark for Indian batters overseas but said Kohli took things forward by developing his game against the short ball and demonstrating a different approach to succeeding abroad.

De Villiers’ earlier comments had triggered a fresh fan war on social media, with former India pacer Dodda Ganesh even telling him to “pass on the weed”. Tendulkar finished his Test career with 15,921 runs and 51 centuries, while Kohli retired last year with 9,230 runs.

‘Stats don’t paint the whole picture’

De Villiers reiterated his admiration for Kohli, particularly for the way he responded to his difficult 2014 England tour.

“We can always look at stats and say Virat’s stats were not as good abroad, especially because of England, where he really struggled. But I still feel he looked confident and played the all-round, well-balanced cricket that’s needed to succeed abroad,” he said.

According to de Villiers, Kohli’s influence went beyond numbers. He praised the former India captain for staying fit, leading by example and inspiring younger players to develop a complete game.

“His record is not as good as Sachin’s away from home, but we don’t always look at stats, especially not me,” de Villiers said, adding that Kohli built on what he learnt from Tendulkar and showed the next generation how to approach the game.