Steve Smith better batsman in Tests but Virat Kohli trumps as overall package, opines Monty Panesar

Currently ranked first in the ICC Test rankings, Steve Smith had a phenomenal form in Ashes 2019 as he amassed 774 runs at an incredible average of 110.57 including two centuries and a double hundred. While Smith was away for sixteen months, Kohli had taken the top spot but soon after his comeback, Smith trumped Kohli to regain the No.1 ranking. 

While the world is in constant conflict about who is the best batsman of this era, Steve Smith or Virat Kohli, veteran spinner Monty Panesar has clarified his stance on the never-ending debate. Panesar believes that while the Aussie is a better batsman in Test Cricket, Kohli is the one who is the most consistent across all the formats has an edge over Steve Smith when it comes to the case of the better batsman in the era.

“Steve Smith is a better Test batsman than Virat Kohli. But if you take an overall package, especially limited-overs, Virat stands out. He is overall a world-class batsman. Virat is the best batsman in the world. Smith is the best Test batsman in the world," Panesar told Times of India in an interview. 

While acknowledging Smith's greatness in the longest format, Panesar admits that the Indian captain will be the one to break major records of Sachin Tendulkar's, especially his record of most centuries in Tests and ODIs. The Master Blaster has 51 and 49 centuries to his name in Tests and ODIs respectively and Kohli has 25 Test and 43 ODI hundreds under his belt so far.

“Virat (Kohli) has a better chance of breaking his (Sachin’s) Test centuries record (51 Test centuries). The way he is batting and the form he is in, he will go on and break both the ODI and Test centuries records. He has the ability to make more than 100 centuries,” said Panesar.