AB de Villiers says Virat Kohli eclipses Sachin Tendulkar in overseas Tests

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has stated that Virat Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar as the benchmark for Indian batters performing in challenging overseas Test conditions. The comments, made on his YouTube channel, came following India's 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test at Galle on August 19, 2026.

De Villiers acknowledged that Tendulkar was the pioneer who first demonstrated that subcontinental batters could succeed in bouncy and seaming conditions abroad. "I think of someone like Sachin Tendulkar way back, who started that trend for India. Yet, he wasn't as strong as someone like Virat Kohli, who was even better," De Villiers said. He argued that Kohli, who retired from Test cricket in May 2025, took that foundation and "raised the bar."

However, statistical records presented in the reports show Tendulkar holds a clear edge in the relevant categories. Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in Test history with 15,921 runs. In matches played away from home, he scored 8,705 runs across 106 Tests at an average of 54.74. Kohli, ranked 19th on the all-time list with 9,230 runs, amassed 4,774 runs in 66 away Tests at an average of 41.51.