Kohli vs Rohit vs Gill: A look at their batting performances in debut Tests as captain

Legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been replaced as captains of Indian cricket by Shubman Gill. At different points in their careers and under different situations, each of these three hitters assumed the role of captain.

After MS Dhoni retired in the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Virat Kohli was given the reins in December 2014. In his maiden Test match as captain, Kohli scored two centuries, 115 and 141, in Adelaide. Even though India lost the match by a slim margin of 48 runs, Kohli’s performance in that series was highly praised.

After Kohli decided to resign, Rohit Sharma assumed the position in March 2022. He made his Test captaincy debut at Mohali in the opening Test match against Sri Lanka. It was anticipated that the opener, who was already a full-time white-ball captain, would continue to be so in the lengthier format. However, he only managed to score 29 runs in his first innings as captain. The home team did, however, win the game handily by 222 runs and an innings.

Shubman Gill, who assumed the position after Rohit retired, is the most recent addition to the list of Indian Test captains. In June 2025, the 25-year-old made his leadership debut at Headingley, Leeds, against England, making an incredible 147 in the first innings. His first hundred as captain put India in a great position, but he only managed eight in the second innings.

Comparison of Rohit, Gill, and Kohli’s Batting

Kohli and Rohit have a distinct experience in this format, whereas Gill has only recently started his career as Test skipper. With 20 hundreds and 5864 runs at an average of 54.80, Kohli led India in 68 Test matches. India achieved great heights under his leadership, including historic victories in Australia and a winning streak at home. He also introduced a revolution in fitness and an aggressive style of play. Despite not winning an ICC championship, Kohli guided India to the 2021 World Test Championship final.

Rohit had a shorter tenure. In 24 Test matches as India’s captain, he amassed 1254 runs at an average of 30.58 and four hundreds. During his tenure, the squad advanced to the 2023 WTC Final before losing to Australia. Disappointing outcomes during his last season in the position included a record home loss and a Border Border-Gavaskar Trophy series loss to Australia. Interestingly, both of these players have declared their intention to retire in May 2025 and will only compete in the 50-over format.

Records for Rohit and Kohli’s captaincy

Who is the superior Captain Batter?

Last but not least, Gill had played 32 Test matches before to assuming the position, amassing 1893 runs at an average of 35.05. Prior to being named captain, Rohit had the highest average of 46.60 in Test matches, followed by Kohli with 43.08 and Gill with 35.05. With an average of 50.52 at home and 39.12 away, Kohli was the most balanced player, according to his home and away statistics. Rohit dropped from 77.22 at home to 31.26 on the road.