Why Virat Kohli thinks comparisons with Tendulkar make no sense: ‘For me, Sachin paaji will always be Sachin paaji’
Virat Kohli Rejects Comparisons With Sachin Tendulkar Despite New ODI Milestone
Bharatmorningnews.com – Virat Kohli’s latest ODI achievement has once again placed him alongside Sachin Tendulkar in cricket’s most persistent debate. Yet Kohli has made clear that he does not view records as a reason to measure himself against the former India great.
In India’s opening ODI against West Indies, Kohli scored his 55th century in the format and became the quickest batter to reach 15,000 ODI runs. He crossed the mark in his 303rd innings, while Tendulkar required 377 innings, leaving Kohli 74 innings ahead at the same landmark.
The numbers are remarkable, particularly because Tendulkar’s ODI career established many of the standards that later generations have pursued. Kohli has already gone past Tendulkar’s tally for ODI centuries, but the modern batting star believes those statistics cannot fully capture Tendulkar’s influence on the sport.
“For me, Sachin paaji is always going to be Sachin paaji. MS Dhoni is always going to be MS Dhoni in terms of being my first captain. These things cannot change inside me. I have never looked at myself as a guy who has established and achieved. You never really get to a position where you say that’s it. I’ve done it,” Kohli said.
More Than a Debate About Runs and Centuries
Comparisons between Kohli and Tendulkar have followed Indian cricket for more than a decade. Every century, chase and major milestone has added another layer to the discussion, especially as Kohli has continued to rise through ODI record lists.
Kohli had previously addressed the subject around 2017, when he said that his own level should not be placed on the same footing as Tendulkar’s. His perspective has not shifted despite the passage of time and the accumulation of records.
For Kohli, Tendulkar’s legacy reaches beyond the totals he produced across a 24-year international career. Tendulkar became a defining figure for Indian cricket and inspired a generation of players who watched him carry the expectations of millions over several eras.
“You can be content, but if you put your head down and you are humble enough to perform and prepare and just do the right things in sport, from an ego perspective, you can never get to a position saying ‘I’m better than everyone else’. Because that’s the end. He revolutionised the game in his time. And that for me is way beyond numbers and comparisons. The impact he left on people will never be forgotten.”
The distinction is important in an era when cricketing arguments are often reduced to scorecards and statistical comparisons. Kohli’s own ODI record is extraordinary, but he sees Tendulkar’s contribution as something broader: a cultural and sporting impact that cannot be settled by comparing innings, averages or centuries.
Kohli’s Approach to Success
Kohli’s comments also offered an insight into the mindset that has supported his longevity at the highest level. Rather than treating a record as a final destination, he described success as an ongoing process shaped by preparation, discipline and humility.
That outlook has been visible throughout his career. Kohli has remained one of India’s most reliable ODI batters for years, regularly carrying responsibility at the top of the order and in run chases. His ability to keep adding to major milestones has intensified public attention, but he does not appear comfortable viewing himself through the same larger-than-life lens used by supporters.
He said the admiration he receives can be difficult for him to process because fans know him mainly through his performances and public image, while he continues to identify with the person he was before the fame and records.
“It’s very similar to when someone who really loves the game admires me and what I’ve done playing for the country. When they come in, they meet me in a certain way. I’m not able to understand their perspective. For me, I am not the person that they have made me to be, because they know me from a distance. They know my performances and me playing cricket. At its core, I understand where I have come from. And you never really stop being the person that you are. I don’t see myself through the same lens as other people do.”
A Landmark With Wider Significance
Reaching 15,000 ODI runs faster than any other player reinforces Kohli’s standing as one of the format’s leading run-makers. His 55th ODI hundred in the same match added further weight to an already exceptional record.
Still, Kohli’s response suggests that the Tendulkar comparison is unlikely to receive a definitive answer from him. He recognises the affection and respect behind the debate, but his own view remains rooted in reverence for the player who transformed Indian cricket during his era.
For supporters, the records will continue to invite comparison. For Kohli, however, Tendulkar remains a singular figure, while the work of performing for India continues without any sense that the journey has reached its conclusion.
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