David Warner opens up on 'Kohli vs Smith' debate
What's the story
Australian opener David Warner voiced his opinion on the long-standing 'Kohli vs Smith' debate. Both Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are deemed as greats of modern day cricket. Speaking to Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz in Conversation, Warner said the Indian skipper is driven by immense passion, while his counterpart Steve Smith enjoys himself in the middle. Here is more.
Quote
Both Smith and Kohli are mentally tough: David Warner
"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle. Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said.
Comparison
A look at records of Kohli and Smith
Smith, who is the number one ranked Test batsman, took the world by storm in the 2019 Ashes. He finished with a ground-breaking tally of 774 runs from four Tests at 110.57. The 30-year-old also piped Virat Kohli to reclaim the number one Test that year. However, the Indian captain lead the overall runs tally with 7,240 runs in 86 matches at 53.62.
Do you know?
Kohli has one more Test century than Smith
Australia's Smith has an astronomical average of 62.84, having amassed 7,227 runs after 73 Tests. The right-handed batsman owns 26 Test tons. However, Virat Kohli has slammed most number of centuries (27) among active players.
Difference
Warner highlights the passion of Smith and Kohli
Warner pointed out the difference in demeanour of Kohli and Smith. "Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun," Warner stated. He added, "Virat knows if he spends a certain amount of time, he's going to score plenty of runs. He's going to get on top of you."