Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith: Sunil Gavaskar gives his verdict on modern-day rivalry

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar refused to compare Virat Kohli and Steve Smith and instead said he will have both the batsmen in his team. The 68-year-old also shed light on what makes the Indian captain and his Australian counterpart modern-day greats.

Smith and Kohli have been regarded among the finest batsmen going around as the two have led their respective teams from the front with their bat in the recent past.

Meanwhile, cricket fans across the globe are being treated to batting masterclass from the two as both of them are setting the stage on fire in their own backyards.

While 29-year-old Delhi batsman has been toying with the visiting Sri Lankan bowlers in the ongoing three-match Test series, the 28-year-old New South Wales star helped Australia to a 10-wicket win in the first Test of the ongoing Ashes in Brisbane with an unbeaten 141.

"I would have both of them in my team. Steve Smith would bat at three, Virat will bat at four," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

He added: "It's the way they go from 50 to 60 and then from 70 to 80. If you look at [Lokesh] Rahul, when he is batting on 70s and 80s, he just gets a little ahead of himself. He is playing deliveries he shouldn't be playing, he is reaching out. You never see Steve Smith or Virat Kohli doing that.

"They eventually get the bowler to play in their arc. Then they bring all their shots into play. Both of them are super runners between the wickets. You can't bowl maidens to them. It's their strength, they keep rotating their strike and at the same time make the bowlers bowl to them."

Gavaskar's comments come a day after England star Kevin Pietersen opined in favour of Kohli, calling him the "greatest batsman of his time". The 37-year-old, though, was trolled on Twitter for saying so, as a few Australian cricket fans argued in favour of Smith.

Meanwhile, Australian legends have been lauding Smith's hunger to score runs after his match-winning ton in Brisbane. While Ricky Ponting conceded his Australian record of 41 Test centuries is in danger, Steve Waugh likened Smith's hunger to that of Sachin Tendulkar and said the Australian captain will "rewrite history books".

Notably, Smith has scored 5511 runs, including 21 centuries, from 57 matches (before second Ashes Test) at a staggering average of 61.23. On the other hand, Kohli has amassed 4975 runs (before Delhi Test) at an average of 51.82.

Records since 2013

Kohli: 4240 runs, 17 centuries

Smith: 5292 runs, 21 centuries