India vs Australia: Virat Kohli or Steve Smith? Michael Vaughan picks best all-format batsman in the world

IND vs AUS: Australia lost the match and the series 1-2 after Kohli’s effervescent 89 and Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 119 helped India to a seven-wicket victory.

Virat Kohli is the finest all format batsman, feels former England captain Michael Vaughan. The long time debate over who is better between India skipper Kohli and Australian star batter Steve Smith was once again brought up by social media enthusiasts after Smith slammed 131 off 132 balls in the third and series-deciding ODI against India. Australia lost the match and the series 1-2 after Kohli’s effervescent 89 and Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 119 helped India to a seven-wicket victory.

Steve Smith and Virat Kohli (PTI and Reuters)

Replying to a tweet which said former Aussie skipper Smith is the finest all format batsman, Vaughan said: “Disagree ... Virat is the best all round ... !!”

Also Watch l Ind vs Aus | ‘It was one of the most calculated partnerships with Rohit’: Virat Kohli

While pundits have spoken highly about Smith’s ninth ODI century, former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif has called it a failure on the part of the former captain to accelerate and give the visitors a top gear finish in the death overs.

In fact, Latif also credited Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah for keeping things tight in the last 10 overs of the Australia innings as they picked up wickets to peg back the visitors.

“One has to give credit to Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah for their efforts in the death overs. 80 balls for 80 chalte hain, but when you score 131, you need to do it in 100 or 105 balls. Smith’s inability to accelerate and his slow partnership forced Australia to promote Mitchell Starc as a pinch hitter,” Rashid Latif said on his YouTube channel.