Former England players Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid were recently on opposite sides of a lighthearted but intense discussion on who the best ODI batter of all time is: Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli?

The debate played out on their podcast, Beard Before Wicket, where the pair were asked to select a single batter to open in ODIs from three all-time greats: Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, and Brian Lara.

Adil Rashid wasn't afraid to choose Kohli. Moeen, however, played the diplomat at first. "They all average 50," he reminded us, implying the argument was too evenly balanced. But Rashid had prepared some statistics and pressure.

"If you contrast the two, who's won more games, who's scored more hundreds in ODI cricket Virat. Who's won more games when chasing Virat. Who's that match-winner in that regard?" Rashid asked. Ultimately, Moeen was convinced by his team's reasoning, concluding, "I think you have to start with Virat, Rashid's right." 

Kohli's Dominance in ODIs

It’s hard to argue against Kohli’s one-day numbers. Since making his debut in 2008, the Indian maestro has rewritten the record books in the format. In 302 matches, he has scored 14,181 runs at an astonishing average of 57.88, including 51 centuries, the most in ODI history, overtaking even Tendulkar's 49.

Kohli's ability to chase is what puts him in a class of his own. 28 out of his 51 hundreds have been in winning run chases, a record that speaks volumes about his ability to deliver in pressure situations. With a strike rate of 93.24 and an average of 64.50, he has scored more than 8000 runs while chasing in ODIs.

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Watch the video:

Adil Rashid cooking Moeen Ali and Nostalgia merchants 😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/l7Zg99IWC0

— Vivek (@hailKohli18) July 3, 2025

Keeping Delivering on the Big Stage

In the 2025 Champions Trophy, which India went on to win, Kohli played his last game of ODI cricket. With 218 runs at 54.50 from five games, he was the most crucial player of the tournament. His highlight was an unbeaten century in a pressure chase against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Although the Rashid-Moeen argument was frivolous, it is a part of a broader generational debate in cricket. Kohli's figures, influence in chases, and consistency are enough to drive a point for his supremacy in contemporary times, though Tendulkar remains an immortal of the sport.