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"He wasn't as strong as someone like Virat Kohli" - South African legend's massive claim on Sachin Tendulkar amid SL vs IND 2026 Tests
De Villiers said Tendulkar set the overseas benchmark, but Kohli raised it further, even as statistics still favor Tendulkar in away Tests.
On Wednesday, former South Africa captain AB de Villiers claimed on his YouTube channel that Virat Kohli outperformed Sachin Tendulkar in overseas Test conditions, stating Kohli raised the bar to a "whole new level."
Villiers noted that Sachin Tendulkar was the first Indian batter to prove success was possible in bouncy, seaming conditions, effectively setting a benchmark for future players in overseas Tests.
Tendulkar scored 5,387 runs in 63 Tests in SENA countries—South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia—while Kohli scored 3,661 runs in 46 Tests, keeping the overall comparison in Tendulkar's favor.
Emerging players like Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal have followed this trend, with Villiers adding, "there are quite a few players now like Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal, who have started to up that trend."
Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in Test cricket history with 15,921 runs in 200 matches, whereas Kohli holds 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, despite his success in overseas conditions.