Virat Kohli praised Australian batter Steve Smith, naming him the 'best Test player' of this generation.
Before the start of the World Test Championship final against Australia, Kohli featured in a video where he lauded Smith.
'Steve Smith, according to me, is the best Test player of this generation. He has displayed that his adaptability is absolutely brilliant. You take any cricketer of this generation... in 85-90 Tests, he has an average of 60 which is quite unbelievable.
'The consistency and impact with which he scores runs, I haven't seen anyone else doing that in the last 10 years. Definitely, Steve Smith, along with Marnus Labuschagne, are their main players in the batting order because they control their batting line-up,' Virat told Star Sports.
'Smith has always done well against us and he has performed in England. You want to dismiss him as soon as possible because he can have a match-winning impact,' Kohli added.
Kohli, who roared back to form across all formats from late 2022 onwards, has a total of 1,979 runs in Tests at an average of 48.26 and a strike rate of 52.25 against Australia.
Smith has scored 1,887 Test runs (before the Oval Test) at an average of 65.06 and a strike rate of 52.79 against India.
Kohli has eight Test hundreds and five fifties against Australia. Smith too has scored eight Test hundreds as well as five fifties against India.
Smith's highest Test score against India is 192 at Australia's largest cricket stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while Kohli's highest Test score against Australia is 186 at India's largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Kohli has scored 620 runs in ICC knockout at an average of over 51 in 16 innings in 15 such matches. He has six fifties.
Smith has scored 322 runs (before the Oval Test) in seven knockout innings at an average of 80.5, with a century and three fifties.
Australia ended at the top of the WTC table with 11 wins, three losses, and five draws in 19 Tests. India ended in second position with 10 wins, five losses and three draws.
Virat has hit six Test centuries and five half-centuries in Australia. Smith has three Test centuries and a single half-century in India.
Kohli has scored 1,033 Test runs with a 33.32 average and a strike rate of 51.59 with two centuries and five half-centuries in England with 149 being his highest score.
In comparison, Smith has scored 1,727 Test runs (before the Oval Test) at an average of 59.55 and a strike rate of 61.41. He has six centuries and seven half-centuries with 215 being his highest score in England.
