MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli are two of India’s greatest cricket players and captains, each with a unique style. Dhoni is known for his “helicopter shot,” while Kohli is famous for his “cover drive.” Fans often debate who is better between these two cricketing legends. This comparison will look at their records as captains and batsmen in various formats of the game.

MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli Captaincy Records

Let’s compare their records as captains in different cricket formats.

Test Matches

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Span	2008-2014	2014-2022
Matches	60	68
Won	27	40
Lost	18	17
Draw	15	11
Win Percentage	45%	58.82%

Analysis: Kohli has a higher win percentage and has won more Test matches as captain compared to Dhoni.

One Day Internationals (ODIs)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Span	2007-2018	2013-2021
Matches	200	95
Won	110	65
Lost	74	27
Draw	5	1
Win Percentage	59.52%	70.43%

Analysis: Kohli has a better win percentage but has captained fewer matches than Dhoni.

ALSO READ: Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma: A Complete Batting and Captaincy Comparison

T20 Internationals (T20Is)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Span	2007-2016	2017-2021
Matches	72	50
Won	41	30
Lost	28	16
Draw	1	2
Win Percentage	59.28%	64.58%

Analysis: Kohli has a higher win percentage in T20Is.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Span	2008-2022	2011-2021
Matches	210	140
Won	123	64
Lost	86	69
Draw	0	3
Win Percentage	58.58%	48.16%

Analysis: Dhoni has a better win percentage and has led his team to more victories in the IPL.

MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli Batting Records

Let’s compare their batting stats across formats.

Test Matches

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Innings	144	173
Runs	4876	8055
Balls Faced	8249	14480
Dismissals	128	163
Batting Average	38.09	49.42
Strike Rate	59.11	55.63
Highest Score	224	254
Fours	545	909
Sixes	78	24
Fifties	33	28
Centuries	6	27

Analysis: Kohli has a higher average and more centuries in Test cricket, though Dhoni has a slightly better strike rate.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan Appointed as Mentor for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025

One Day Internationals (ODIs)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Innings	297	252
Runs	10773	12344
Balls Faced	12305	13296
Dismissals	213	214
Batting Average	50.58	57.68
Strike Rate	87.55	92.84
Highest Score	183	183
Fours	826	1160
Sixes	229	127
Fifties	73	64
Centuries	10	43

Analysis: Kohli has a higher batting average and more centuries, but Dhoni has a higher strike rate.

T20 Internationals (T20Is)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Innings	84	91
Runs	1617	3308
Balls Faced	1282	2403
Dismissals	43	66
Batting Average	37.6	50.12
Strike Rate	126.13	137.66
Highest Score	56	94
Fours	116	299
Sixes	52	93
Fifties	2	30
Centuries	0	0

Analysis: Kohli has a better average and strike rate, though he has faced more balls.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Stat	MS Dhoni	Virat Kohli
Innings	205	215
Runs	4977	6624
Balls Faced	3682	5129
Dismissals	127	183
Batting Average	39.19	53.62
Strike Rate	135.17	129.15
Highest Score	84	113
Fours	346	579
Sixes	229	219
Fifties	24	44
Centuries	0	5

Analysis: Kohli has more runs and centuries, but Dhoni has a higher strike rate and more sixes.

Conclusion

In terms of captaincy, Kohli has a better win percentage in Test and T20I formats, while Dhoni excels in ODIs and the IPL. Dhoni’s success in ICC tournaments and IPL titles highlights his impressive leadership. For batting, Kohli has better records in most formats, including more runs and centuries. Dhoni’s role as a finisher often means his stats reflect different match situations compared to Kohli’s role as a top-order batsman.

READ MORE:

#MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli

MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli: Comparing the Legends