Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam: ODI Records, Centuries & Batting Comparison 

Introduction

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam  is one of the most interesting ODI batting comparisons of contemporary-age cricket

Both right-handed batsmen have had notable performances for India and Pakistan and have made their name through long ODI careers

But their careers have advanced at different speeds and in distinct eras of international cricket

Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008 while Babar came into the picture in 2015 That seven-year gap is significant when considering career totals.

Kohli has had many more opportunities to score runs, centuries, and half-centuries, while Babar’s record has been created on a smaller sample.

So, a relevant comparison should take runs, batting average, strike rate, not-outs, best scores, centuries, half-centuries, and career longevity together.

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam—ODI Career Summary

The following table uses the same statistical categories and the same cut-off date of 20 August 2026 for both players.

Updated On: 20 Aug 2026

Kohli has played double the number of ODIs Babar has, and it explains a lot of the gap in overall runs and hundreds.

Babar’s brief career means that rate-based numbers and milestone progression are especially helpful in comparison.

The two players have also played in different team contexts and batting situations, so numbers should always be seen in context.

Virat Kohli ODI stats 

Virat Kohli ODI stats  are among the best long-term batting records produced in the format right now.

Kohli has featured in 311 ODIs and batted in 299 innings.

He has scored 14,797 runs and remained not out 47 times.

He averages 58.71 with the bat in ODIs with a strike rate of 93.82.

His best ODI score is 183.

Best bowling figures in ODIs:

• Games: 311
• Innings: 299 innings
• Not outs: 47
• Runs: 14797
• Batting Average: .5871
• Strike Rate 93.82%
• Best: 183
• 54 centuries
• 50s: 77

According to the ICC in May 2026, Kohli is the leading century-maker in the ODI format and the second-highest run-scorer in men’s ODI cricket, with 14,797 ODI runs and 54 hundreds.

His fifty-fourth ODI hundred came against New Zealand in January 2026.

That hundred also took him beyond Ricky Ponting for the most ODI runs scored at No. 3.

The Virat Kohli centuries record therefore forms an essential element of his overall ODI profile.

But the century count is only one part of the judgment.

His average, strike rate, number of innings, and longevity also account for the scale of his ODI career to some degree.

Kohli’s career in ODIs has extended to 2026.

In July 2026, he played three ODIs against England, scoring 5, 65, and 74.

Babar Azam ODI stats 

Babar Azam ODI stats has played 143 ODI matches and has batted in 140 innings so far.

Babar has amassed 6,626 ODI runs and has remained not out on 16 occasions.

His average is 53.44 with a strike rate of 86.59.

His best score in ODIs is 158.

Best bowling figures in ODIs:

• Matches: 143
• Innings: 140
• Not outs: 16
• Runs 6,626
• Batting Average: .53444
• Strike Rate: 86.59 2.
• Best score: 158
• 20 centuries
• Half-centuries: 38

Babar made his ODI debut in 2015, and his latest ODI in the available 2026 record was against Australia on 4 June 2026.

Babar Azam centuries count now stands at 20.

His highest score was 158 against England in July 2021.

Babar’s career has also been marked by quick development through important ODI milestones.

He became the quickest to amass 6,000 ODI runs in his 123rd innings.

His shorter career implies his aggregate statistics can vary widely with future ODI outings.

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Kohli vs Babar ODI records 

In the comparison of Kohli vs Babar ODI records, Kohli edges Babar in the key career stats at the above cut-off.

Kohli has

• 14,797 runs.
• 58.71 avg.
• Strike Rate 93.82
• 54 hundreds.
• 77 half centuries
• top score 183

Babar’s got:

•  6,626 runs
• 53.44 B.A.
• 86.59 SR
• 2,000 years
• 38 fifties
• high score 158

So Kohli is ahead in terms of total runs, average, strike rate, centuries, half-centuries, and maximum score.

Another big distinction is the length of a career.

While Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008, Babar made his in 2015.

And with Kohli having played 311 matches and Babar only 143, it makes straight comparisons of their aggregates more difficult.

Runs per inning is another relevant measure.

For Kohli

14,797/299 = 49.49 per inning runs

Babar:

6,626 / 140 = 47.33 runs per innings

Not to be confused with batting average. Runs per inning.

The determinant in runs per innings is the total number of innings, but in batting average it is the number of dismissals.

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Kohli vs Babar batting comparison 

A fair Kohli vs Babar batting comparison has to factor in beyond career totals.

Kohli’s ODI batting has traditionally been a mix of strike rotation, running between the wickets, boundary scoring, and calculated risk-taking.

A career strike rate of 93.82 suggests a very high scoring speed over a very extensive sample.

Babar’s career strike rate of 86.59 shows a lower total run rate.

His ODI record too has been based on timing, location, and accumulation.

Batting in power plays

In an ODI, the first ten overs are under fielding restrictions, which can be used to play attacking strokes.

And at the same time, an early exit might have a huge impact on the team’s innings.

Middle-over batting

You want a guy who can rotate the strike consistently in the middle overs.

Singles and twos are significant when fielders are scattered around the boundary.

Fast Bowling

“Batting against pace might rely on the movement, bounce, speed, pitch conditions, and the position of the hitter.

And hence, general comments regarding a hitter’s performance against pace need to be backed up by particular split stats.

Spin bowling

Gaps and how long you read against spin can affect your scoring.

Also dictating the range of shots in the hands of the batter are field placements and match criteria.

Chasing approach

When you are chasing in an ODI, you have to keep recalibrating based on the target, wickets in hand, and the required run rate.

Kohli’s second innings record is huge in the second innings and Babar has played enough of ODI chases in his international career.

Long Innings Building

Both the players have shown their ability to construct big innings in ODIs.

Their centuries and top scores suggest that the move from turning starts to big scores has been a big part of their careers.

Virat Kohli versus Babar Azam—Century Comparison

ODI Centuries Comparison at Cutoff Date 20 August 2026:

• Virat Kohli centuries: 54 centuries
• Babar Azam centuries: 20 centuries

Kohli has the most hundreds in men’s ODI cricket (54). The ICC confirmed that he achieved his 54th century against New Zealand in January 2026.

Babar has hit 20 centuries in 140 ODI innings. His best score is 158, whereas Kohli’s best ODI score is 183.

One might also consider the frequency of centuries, but it should be read with care. Kohli’s 54 hundreds in 299 innings suggest that he scores a hundred in every 5.54 ODI innings on average Babar has 20 hundreds in 140 innings, which means one century in every 7 ODI innings

These numbers provide good context, but they don’t tell the whole story of overall batting quality Even if a batsman doesn’t get to a hundred, he can still contribute a lot with a good innings

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As such, average, strike rate, match situation, partnerships, and general innings context still have weight when judging ODI batting performance

Who has the better ODI record?

Statistical Conclusion

Virat Kohli has the better overall ODI stats record at the cutoff of 20 August 2026

Babar is leading in:

• Overall ODI runs
• Batting avg.
• – strike rate
• Century’s
• Half a century
• High score
• Staying power

The divergence is most evident in aggregate output.

Kohli has 14,797 ODI runs to Babar’s 6,626.

Editorial interpretation

The career stage must be included in when considering the statistical advantage.

Kohli has been playing ODIs since 2008 and has played 311 matches.

Babar began his career in 2015 and has played 143 ODIs.

One of the key features of Babar’s career has been his swift movement through the big batting milestones.

His 6,000 runs in 123 innings is a testimony to how rapidly he became a major ODI batsman.

So, for now, the numbers could be in Kohli’s favor, but the comparison cannot overlook the difference in career duration and opportunities.

There’s no number that can settle the Kohli vs Babar dispute. Different metrics illuminate different facets of an ODI career.

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam—Great Divide

• Career span: Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008, whilst Babar made his debut in 2015
• ODI run production: Kohli has 14,797 runs to Babar’s 6,626
• Kohli has a batting average of 58.71, which is better than Babar’s 53.44
• Strike rate: Kohli has a superior strike rate of 93.82 as compared to Babar’s 86.59
• Century count: Kohli has 54 ODI hundreds against Babar’s 20
• Half-centuries: Kohli 77, Babar 38

• Highest score: Kohli’s best ODI score is 183, and Babar’s is 158
• Batting Tempo: Their career strike rates show differing overall scoring rates
• Strike rotation: Both employ singles and twos as essential elements of their run acquisition in ODIs.
• Innings building: Both have scored heavily and gone on to make big innings from starts.
• Career stage: Kohli has a far bigger sample of ODI cricket, while Babar’s career is still shorter.

How to Read ODI Batting Stats

Knowing what each stat means makes player comparisons much more informative.

Batting Percentage

Batting average is determined by dividing the total number of runs scored by the number of times the hitter has been removed.

Batting average = Total runs / Dismissals

This formula is affected by not-outs, because an innings that is not closed out is not a dismissal.

Strike Rate

ODI Strike Rate It is the number of runs scored by a batsman per 100 balls faced.

Strike Rate = Runs / Balls Faced x 100

Impact on strike rate can be:

• Batting posture
• Match circumstance
• Batsman role
• Term
• Opposition.
• Stage of innings

Hence, strike rate should not be considered as a complete indication of batting quality.

Runs Per Innings—

Runs per inning is determined by the total number of innings played.

Runs per inning = Total runs/innings played.

In this comparison:

• Kohli: 49.49 runs per inning
• Babar 47.33 / innings

This is different than batting average because the determinant is different.

Centuries.

A century is a score of 100 or more runs in an innings.

A player’s number of centuries is a measure of how many times he has batted his way to a three-figure score.

Half Centuries

A half-century is a score of 50 or more but under 100.

Fifty-plus scores are handy because not every good ODI innings becomes a hundred.

Career Totals

Longevity makes a big difference in career totals.

The more matches a batsman plays, the greater are his opportunities to pile up runs and big scores.

Readers should therefore look at career length, average, strike rate, and match context together.

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This cannot be part of the statistical evaluation of Kohli or Babar.

What Cricketers Can Teach You, Fan

Kohli and Babar’s careers have bigger lessons to teach about cricket.

Homogeneity

The ability to adjust to shifting opponents and conditions is necessary to maintain performance across a long international career.

Choice of shot

In One Day International batting, it’s a question of balancing the potential to score with the potential to lose a wicket.

Rotation of Strikes

Singles and twos may keep an innings going when there aren’t many opportunities for boundaries.

Constructing an Innings

Long innings need attention and the capacity to speed up or slow down the rate of scoring as per the need of the match.

Flexibility Adaptability

Batters must alter their approach according to different pitches, bowling attacks, and field situations.

Health & fitness

Physical preparation is required for batting, sprinting, and fielding if an ODI career is to be sustained

Dealing with Pressure

In international cricket, batsmen often make decisions based on wickets, targets, and needed run rates

These are common concepts of cricket and should not be taken as evidence that the technique of one player is superior to that of another.

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The aim of this material is to deliver valuable cricket content to the readers with statistical context and reader value fundamentally.

The platform-related resources discussed elsewhere in this article are not part of the statistical evidence utilized for the Kohli-Babar comparison.

Data Note

Data note: Cricket stats can be updated when a player plays another game, and different databases may show somewhat different values at times depending on the timing of the update or the definition of stats. This article uses a declared cutoff date and consistent statistical categories for comparison.

For the main statistics in this article, the cutoff date is August 20, 2026.

Kohli’s present ODI record is 311 matches, 299 innings, 14,797 runs, 47 not-outs, an average of 58.71, a strike rate of 93.82, 54 hundreds, and 77 fifties

Babar’s current ODI stats are 143 matches, 140 innings, 6626 runs, 16 not outs, a 53.44 average, an 86.59 strike rate, 20 hundreds, and 38 fifties

Do take into account the cutoff date while utilizing this comparison, as statistics may change after the next ODI

Summary

Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam  ODI contrast is a clash of two brilliant hitters whose careers have unfolded at distinct phases

Kohli is the current top scorer, with the highest batting average, strike rate, centuries, half-centuries, maximum score, and career longevity

His record in 311 ODIs has been compiled, providing him a much bigger career sample.

Babar has achieved huge milestones in fast time in his shorter career and has scored his record in 143 ODIs.

His ODI numbers are really impressive also, with 6626 runs at an average of 53.44 with 20 tons.

So average strike rate and centuries should be taken in conjunction rather than picking one of them as a final yardstick.

How ODI stats are viewed is also dependent on batting role, opposition, conditions, match situation, and career stage.

Both have big achievements to their names in ODIs.

The diverse career trajectories are a crucial aspect of the comparison, and no one statistic fully characterizes an ODI batter.

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Who has more ODI centuries Virat Kohli vs Babar Azam?

Virat Kohli has 54 ODI centuries to his name as of 20 August 2026, while Babar Azam has 20

Stats Last Updated: 20th August 2026.

These totals are subject to change if either player appears in any other ODI.

2. Virat Kohli has a superior ODI batting average.

Talking of ODI batting average, Virat Kohli leads the chart in this comparison with 58.71 compared to Babar Azam’s 53.44.

Hitting average is affected by dismissals and not outs; hence, it should not be used to judge overall hitting quality.

3. Virat Kohli ODI stats 

Kohli’s ODI stats as of 20 August 2026:

• Matches: 311
• Innings: 299 innings
• Not outs: 47
• 14,797 runs
• Avg: 58.71
• Strike rate: 93.82
• Best: 183
• Centuries: 4-5
• 77s: 50s

4. What are Babar Azam ODI stats?

Babar Azam ODI stats  (as of 20 August 2026) are

• Played Games: 143
• Innings: 140
• Not outs: 16
• 6,626
• Average: 53.44
• Strike rate: 86.59%
• Best score: 158
• Centuries: 20 лет
• 38 in their 50s

5 How is Kohli different from Babar?

The primary differences are career span, total ODI runs, batting average, strike rate, and centuries

In a shorter career, Babar has done this, whereas Kohli has played a lot more ODIs

Both have shown the importance of strike rotation, boundary selection, and inning design