Over an extensive record of 501 deliveries — enough to draw reliable conclusions across TEST and IPL cricket, the battle between Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada has been remarkably even — 377 runs scored, 9 dismissals, and an average of 41.89 that tells the story of a genuine contest.
Virat Kohli's most productive format against Kagiso Rabada is TEST, where the batter has averaged 50.60 from 430 balls at a strike rate of 58.84. In contrast, IPL has proved far tougher, where Kagiso Rabada has restricted Virat Kohli to an average of 31.00 — a difference of 20 runs per dismissal between the two formats, highlighting how pitch type and match context shape this rivalry.
Kagiso Rabada has dismissed Virat Kohli 9 times across 501 deliveries — one wicket every 56 balls on average. Those wickets have kept this contest finely balanced — Virat Kohli has scored enough to stay competitive, but Kagiso Rabada has always had the last word often enough to matter.
A 64.7% dot ball rate captures the balance of this rivalry perfectly — Kagiso Rabada has tied Virat Kohli down in spells, but the batter has always found a way to respond. Virat Kohli has hit 54 fours and 6 sixes — with 67% of runs coming from boundaries, the batter has been almost entirely reliant on the big shot rather than rotating the strike.
With over 501 deliveries in the record books, this is one of the more thoroughly documented individual matchups in cricket. The data spans 2 formats, giving a complete picture of how Virat Kohli handles Kagiso Rabada's style across different match conditions. It remains one of cricket's more intriguing individual rivalries, with neither player able to claim complete dominance.
Virat Kohli has scored 377 runs off 501 balls against Kagiso Rabada across TEST and IPL cricket, averaging 41.89 per dismissal with a strike rate of 75.25.
Kagiso Rabada has dismissed Virat Kohli 9 times across 501 deliveries in TEST and IPL cricket — one wicket every 56 balls on average.
This is an evenly matched rivalry. Virat Kohli has scored 377 runs and averages 41.89, while Kagiso Rabada has taken 9 wickets across 501 deliveries. Neither player holds a definitive edge.
Virat Kohli has performed best against Kagiso Rabada in TEST cricket, averaging 50.60 from 430 balls with a strike rate of 58.84. IPL has been the tougher format in this matchup.
Virat Kohli has scored at a strike rate of 75.25 against Kagiso Rabada across TEST and IPL cricket — indicating a cautious approach in this matchup. From 501 deliveries faced, the batter has hit 54 fours and 6 sixes.
Kagiso Rabada has delivered 64.7% dot balls against Virat Kohli across 501 deliveries — indicating a high pressure rate that has kept the batter quiet. Despite this, Virat Kohli has still managed 60 boundaries in the matchup.
Virat Kohli has hit 54 fours and 6 sixes off Kagiso Rabada's bowling across TEST and IPL cricket. Boundaries account for 67% of all runs scored in this matchup — showing the batter prefers to score in boundaries rather than rotate the strike.
This head-to-head record between Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada covers TEST and IPL cricket, totalling 501 balls faced. Stats are available for each format individually in the Format Breakdown tab above.