Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik revealed his favorite all-time batter in test cricket.
The 40-year-old had a fun interaction with Cricbuzz, where he was asked to choose the best test batsman through a knockout selection.
Out of eight contenders, Karthik’s choice was cut short to three cricketers, namely Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Joe Root. The star batter of the T20I cricket had to make a tough choice to select one out of the three potential candidates, who have contributed their best in the longest format.
Did the former RCB player pick his former teammate Kohli as the best test batsman of the 21st century? Let’s find out in detail…
The Top Eight Contenders Named by Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik named the top eight contenders from different nations who delivered their consistent performances in test cricket:
- Virat Kohli (INDIA)
- Graeme Smith (SOUTH AFRICA)
- Virender Sehwag (INDIA)
- Younis Khan (PAKISTAN)
- Joe Root (ENGLAND)
- Steve Smith (AUSTRALIA)
- Kumar Sangakkara (SRI LANKA)
- AB de Villiers (SOUTH AFRICA)
Each of the above-mentioned cricketers possesses a unique batting style. For instance, Kohli has always shown aggression to accumulate runs, while Sehwag has exhibited a fearless shot selection right from the first over.
Likewise, Sangakkara’s elegant strokes and Smith’s unconventional reliability set them apart from other batters.
Dinesh Karthik Picks Four Cricketers in the First Round
In the starting round, Dinesh Karthik picked Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Steve Smith, and Joe Root as his favorite batters, given their remarkable achievements and countless match-winning knocks for their teams.
However, the retired cricketers like Younis Khan, Kumar Sangakkara, and Graeme Smith were out of contention.
At the same time, it was surprising that the right-handed batter excluded AB de Villiers from the list despite his ability to play shots across 360 degrees and his immense contributions for South Africa in red-ball cricket.
Kohli vs Sehwag vs Smith vs Root? DK’s Semi-Final Round
Dinesh Karthik further progressed into the semi-final round of a playful contest, where the contest became much more tight. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter, shortened to just Kohli and Smith, are the modern-day legends who have redefined test cricket by shattering several records for more than a decade.
Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith? A Decisive Call in Final Round
The final round was indeed a tough choice for Dinesh Karthik, where he had to make a tricky choice between Virat Kohli’s aggression and Steve Smith’s uncompromising endurance.
However, DK selected Australia’s experienced batter Smith as the greatest test cricketer of all time and snubbed Kohli with no choice left.
The 36-year-old Aussie batter has shown his best ability to adapt to tricky conditions and accumulate runs against the world’s challenging bowling attack.
For instance, Smith, during the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final, surpassed former Australian Warren Bardsley’s record of scoring the most runs as a visiting batter at The Lord’s. This was indeed one such remarkable achievement in Smith’s career, having broken the 99-year-old record at the home of cricket.
Reasons Why DK Chose Smith Over Kohli
In addition to the impressive numbers in test cricket, Smith has been highly dominant against England, as well as his ability to score runs on the toughest overseas pitches, like South Africa.
Let’s delve deeper statistically to find out why Dinesh Karthik preferred Steve Smith over Virat Kohli:
Numbers Proving a Remarkable Consistency
Steve Smith has already surpassed the 10,000-run mark in his test cricket career, having played 212 innings.
On the other side, Virat Kohli played two innings fewer than Smith, but managed to score only 9,230 runs in 210 innings.
| Stats | Steve Smith | Virat Kohli |
| Test Matches Played | 119 | 123 |
| Test Innings Played | 212 | 210 |
| Runs Scored | 10,477 | 9,230 |
| Balls Faced | 19,517 | 16,608 |
| Average | 56.03 | 46.85 |
| Strike Rate | 53.69 | 55.58 |
| 4s | 1,143 | 1,027 |
| 6s | 62 | 30 |
| Double Centuries | 4 | 7 |
| Centuries | 36 | 30 |
| Half-Centuries | 43 | 31 |
| Test Cricket Career Span | 2010 to 2025 (Active) | 2011 to 2025 (Retired) |
Better Domination Against England Compared to Kohli:
When it comes to compiling most runs against England or on English soil, Virat Kohli does not even inch closer to Steve Smith’s numbers in test cricket.
| Information | Steve Smith | Virat Kohli |
| Test Runs vs England | 3,417 Runs in 66 Innings (37 Matches) | 1,991 Runs in 50 Innings (28 Matches) |
| Test Runs Scored in England | 2,334 Runs in 44 Innings (23 Matches) | 1,096 Runs in 33 Innings (17 Matches) |
Final Thoughts
One of the main reasons why Dinesh Karthik chose Steve Smith is that the Aussie cricketer, currently active in his test cricket career since his debut in 2010, has been making the best contributions for his side.
On the other side, Virat Kohli, having marked his test debut in 2011, bid adieu to the longest format a few months back this year. Smith, having scored 3,000+ runs against England, averaging closer to 60, strengthens his brand as the most outstanding test batter of the modern era.