The two of the best batsman of this generation, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, will have a face-off when India host Australia in first of the three-match ODI series at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The debate of who is better between Kohli and Smith has been raging on for quite some time now. While some have been brave enough to choose one of the two, others have adopted a more cautious, sit-on-the-fence approach.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, though, made no bones about who he thinks is better of the two in white-ball cricket. Gauti feels Kohli is way ahead of Smith when it comes to white-ball cricket.
Speaking on a show for Star Sports India, Gambhir said there is ‘no comparison’ between Kohli and Smith in white-ball cricket.
“Virat Kohli is far far better than Steve Smith in white-ball cricket. There’s no comparison. I would not compare Virat Kohli to Steve Smith in white-ball cricket,” said Gambhir.
“I would actually want to see what spot Smith bats in. Are they going to push him at No.4 or would have him bat at 3 and send (Marnus) Labuschagne at No.4.”
Kohli is currently the top-ranked batsman in ODIs ahead of teammate Rohit Sharma. Smith, on the other hand, is now placed at No. 26 in the latest released ICC rankings.
The Indian skipper is head and shoulders ahead of his contemporaries in the 50-overs format, amassing 11,609 runs in 242 matches at a phenomenal average of 59.84. He has a whopping 43 tons to his name, along with 55 half-centuries.
Smith, meanwhile, has played 118 ODIs in which he has scoring 3,810 runs with an average of 41.41. He has just eight centuries and 23 fifties to his name.
