Kohli vs Dravid: Who fared better in SENA nations (Tests)?
14 May 2025

Talismanic Indian batter Virat Kohli recently announced his retirement from Test cricket after an illustrious 14-year career.

Kohli's exploits in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) are among the highlights of his Test career as performances in these nations have often been used as a yardstick to gage the prowess of sub-continental cricketers.

Here we compare Kohli's Test record in SENA countries with another Indian legend, Rahul Dravid.

Both batters own 3,500-plus runs in SENA Tests
Record

As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli amassed 3,781 runs from 93 innings at an average of 41.54 in SENA countries (48 matches).

The remarkable number includes 12 tons and 14 half-centuries.

Kohli is only behind his compatriots Sachin Tendulkar (5,387) and Dravid (3,909) in terms of runs in these nations among Asian batters.

Meanwhile, Dravid scored his runs at an average of 49.48 across 46 games (91 innings).

His tally includes 10 tons and 19 fifties.

Kohli's remarkable run-scoring ability
Series

Kohli also has the record for the most runs by an Asian batter in a bilateral Test series in SENA countries.

He scored a mind-boggling 692 runs at an average of 86.50 in the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.

Dravid is the only other Indian batter with 600-plus runs in a Test series in these nations.

While he made 619 runs at 123.80 in the 2003-04 BGT series, the 2002 series against England saw him yield 602 runs at 100.33.

Kohli owns a better record in Australia
Achievements

Kohli smashed seven Test tons in Australia, which is the joint-second most for a visiting batter alongside England's Wally Hammond.

Overall, in 18 Tests on Australian soil, Kohli piled 1,542 runs at an average of 46.72, including seven tons and four fifties.

Dravid's tally Down Under reads 1,166 runs across 16 appearances at a fine average of 41.64 (50s: 6).

His Test solitary ton in Australia was a match-winning 233.

Dravid miles ahead in England
Stats

In England, Kohli played 17 matches, scoring 1,096 runs from 33 innings at an average of 33.21 with two tons and five fifties.

Dravid is way ahead in this regard, having scored 1,376 runs from 13 Tests at a mind-boggling average of 68.80.

Six of his 10 50-plus scores in England turned out to be tons. The tally includes a double-hundred as well.

Hence, Dravid owns two double-hundreds in SENA Tests while Kohli's best scores in these conditions is 169.

Small sample size in New Zealand
Fact

Both players did not play many games in NZ. Kohli scored 252 runs at an average of 26 in four Tests in this country with the help of a fifty and a hundred. Dravid is again way ahead with 766 runs from seven games at 63.83 (100s: 2, 50s: 5).

Dravid struggled in South Africa
SA

As far as South Africa is concerned, Dravid could only manage 624 runs from 11 Tests at a paltry average of 29.71 (100: 1, 50s: 2).

Kohli dominates this area, having scored a total of 891 runs at an impressive average of 49.50 across nine Test matches with two centuries and four fifties to his name.

Their Test captaincy record in SENA
Leadership

Under Kohli's captaincy, India started dominating in tough overseas conditions.

He became the first Indian captain to win a Test series on Australian soil in the 2018-19 series and took his team to seven wins out of 24 matches in SENA countries (14 losses, 3 draws).

Dravid led in just six SENA Tests and returned with a couple of wins (2 losses, 2 draws).

Comparing their overall Test numbers
Career

Kohli overall featured in 123 Test matches for India, scoring 9,230 runs at 46.85.

He has 30 tons and 31 fifties under his belt (200s: 7).

Tendulkar (15,921), Dravid (13,265), and Sunil Gavaskar (10,122) are the only Indians ahead of Kohli in terms of Test runs.

In a career spanning over 15 years, Dravid played 164 Tests and maintained an average of 52.31.

He also owns 36 Test tons, 63 fifties, and five double-centuries.