Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has showered praise on Indian batting greats Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli for showing a generation of subcontinent batters how to succeed in challenging overseas conditions.
However, de Villiers believes Kohli played a bigger role than Tendulkar in establishing India as a formidable Test team away from home.
ALSO READ: WTC Points Table: India Make Gains After 165-Run Win Over Sri Lanka
While Tendulkar was among the first Indian batters to consistently crack the code in seaming and bouncy conditions, de Villiers feels Kohli's influence went beyond his individual performances.
According to the former South African batter, Kohli's success overseas helped shape India's transformation into a Test cricket powerhouse.
AB de Villiers On Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar enjoyed an extraordinary career across conditions and produced several memorable performances in SENA countries — South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. His ability to adapt to pace and bounce made him one of the most successful batters of his generation.
"I think of someone like Sachin Tendulkar way back, who started that trend for India. Yet, he wasn't as strong as someone like Virat Kohli, who was even better. But Sachin was the first guy to show that as a subcontinent batter, you can do well in bouncy and seaming conditions. Virat took that forward and raised the bar," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
De Villiers acknowledged that contribution but suggested that Kohli took the impact of overseas success to another level. Kohli's Test career was marked by a strong record outside India, particularly in Australia, England and South Africa.
His aggressive approach, fitness standards and emphasis on performing in all conditions also coincided with India's emergence as a highly competitive Test side overseas. De Villiers believes that influence can still be seen in the current generation of Indian batters.
KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal Inspired By Kohli, Tendulkar
De Villiers pointed to players such as KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal as examples of the next generation looking to replicate the success of India's batting greats in overseas conditions.
"Because of that, there are quite a few players now like [KL] Rahul and [Devdutt] Padikkal, who have started to up that trend and follow in the footsteps of a Virat and a Sachin," he added.
The former RCB star suggested that the achievements of Tendulkar and Kohli have given Indian batters greater belief that they can succeed against high-quality pace attacks outside the subcontinent.
Kohli's Overseas Legacy
Kohli's impact on India's overseas Test cricket has extended beyond his runs. During his tenure as captain, India focused a lot on making the fast bowling line-up strong, fitness and competitiveness in Test cricket, helping the team challenge some of the strongest sides in their own backyard. His performances in Australia, South Africa and England became an important part of that transformation.
ALSO READ: When Is Australia vs Bangladesh 2nd Test Match? Check Date, Time, Squads, Live Streaming Details
For de Villiers, Tendulkar may have been the trailblazer who showed Indian batters that success in SENA conditions was possible, but Kohli's career and influence helped turn overseas success into a defining part of India's modern Test identity.
The comparison does not diminish Tendulkar's contribution. Rather, it highlights the different ways in which two generations of Indian batting icons influenced the country's approach to Test cricket beyond home conditions.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
