Virat Kohli vs Joe Root - comparing their stats after 171 ODIs

Team India's senior batter Virat Kohli will be keen to get back among the runs when the Men in Blue take on England in a three-match one-day series, starting Thursday, February 6. The 36-year-old had a disappointing Test tour of Australia during which he managed only 190 runs in nine innings. The right-handed batter scored a hundred in the first Test in Perth, but could not build on the good start.

ODI is one format in which Kohli has produced his best over the years. He had a sensational World Cup in 2023, amassing a record 765 runs in 11 innings at an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31, with the aid of three tons and six fifties. However, he struggled during the three-match one-day series in Sri Lanka last year, managing only 58 runs in three innings, with a best of 24.

Speaking of England, there will be a lot of intrigue around the return of Joe Root to the one-day format. The 34-year-old last played an ODI in India in November 2023 during the World Cup. The former England Test captain has featured in 171 ODIs so far. On that note, let's compare his stats with that of Kohli at the same stage.

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Virat Kohli vs Joe Root - Who has more runs and a better average after 171 ODIs?

In 171 ODIs, Root has scored 6,522 runs at an average of 47.60 and a strike rate of 86.77. He has been out without scoring on nine occasions. Of Root's 6,522 runs, 1,178 runs have come against Sri Lanka from 29 games at an average of 62. The right-handed batter has also notched up 1,048 runs in 26 one-dayers against New Zealand at an average of 47.63.

The former England Test skipper has notched up 835 runs in 17 games against Pakistan, averaging 52.18 and 804 runs in 17 matches against the West Indies at an average of 67. Further, he has also scored 739 runs in 22 ODIs against India at an average of 43.47, 683 runs in 17 one-dayers against South Africa at an average of 45.53 and 667 runs in 29 ODIs against Australia at an average of 26.68.

Overall, Kohli has played 295 one-dayers and has amassed 13,906 at an average of 58.18 and a strike rate of 93.54. After 171 ODIs, the former India captain had 7,212 runs to his name at an average of 51.51 and a strike rate of 89.97. Kohli was dismissed without scoring on 10 occasions.

Of his 7,212 runs in 171 ODIs, 1,856 came in 40 matches against Sri Lanka at an average of 56.24. The right-handed batter also scored 1,143 runs in 22 matches against the West Indies at an average of 57.15. Further, the 36-year-old scored 1,002 runs in 23 ODIs against Australia at an average of 55.66 and 736 runs in 23 matches against England at an average of 38.73.

Kohli also scored 635 runs in 19 matches against South Africa at an average of 39.68. In 11 matches against New Zealand, he notched up 533 runs, averaging 53.30 and scored 373 runs in 10 matches against Pakistan at an average of 41.44.

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Virat Kohli vs Joe Root - Who has more hundreds after 171 ODIs?

Root has 16 hundreds to his name from 171 ODIs. His best of 133* came off 129 balls against Bangladesh at The Oval in 2017 Champions Trophy. Of his 16 one-day tons, the England cricketer has scored four against the Windies, three each against India and the Kiwis, two each against South Africa and Sri Lanka and one each against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

After 171 ODIs, Kohli had 25 tons to his name. His best of 183 had come off 148 balls against Pakistan in Mirpur in March 2012 in the Asia Cup. Of the Indian batter's 25 one-day tons, six came against Sri Lanka, five against Australia, three each against the Windies and Bangladesh, two each against England, New Zealand and Pakistan and one each against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

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Virat Kohli vs Joe Root - Who has a better record in matches won after 171 ODIs?

Root has featured in 93 one-dayers that England have won. In these matches, he has scored 4,255 runs at an average of 62.57 and a strike rate of 90.07, with the aid of 11 hundreds and 25 half-centuries. He was out without scoring twice in one-day matches that England won.

From his first 171 ODIs, Kohli featured in 99 matches that India won. In these games, he smashed 4,995 runs at an average of 67.50 and a strike rate of 93.57, with 21 hundreds and 19 fifties. He was dismissed for a duck six times in ODI matches that India went on to win.