Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Virat Kohli has a strong chance to become the leading run-scorer in ODIs. Speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, Ponting noted Kohli’s motivation to surpass Kumar Sangakkara and eventually Sachin Tendulkar’s record. He praised Kohli as the best 50-over player he’s ever seen, acknowledging his impressive longevity in the game, despite being over 4,000 runs behind Tendulkar. While Kohli’s recent form has faced scrutiny, Ponting emphasized his ability to perform in crucial matches, especially against Pakistan, highlighting the significance of big games for star players.
“With someone like Virat, you can never count him out, as I’m sure he’s motivated by that [pursuing the record],” Ponting shared on the ICC Review Podcast. “Now that he has surpassed me and is just two runs ahead of the next, I’m confident he wants to maximize his chances of being remembered as the all-time run scorer in the sport.
“As long as he maintains his hunger, he is probably as fit as he has ever been, and he works incredibly hard on that aspect of his game. So, if his drive is still present, I’m never going to underestimate him.
“I know he is now very close to Sangakkara. I don’t think it will be long, perhaps in the next match, before he overtakes Sangakkara. However, catching Sachin still requires some effort.”
Ponting hailed Kohli as the greatest 50-over player he has witnessed, expressing amazement that Kohli remains over 4,000 runs shy of Tendulkar’s record, despite being at the pinnacle of his ODI performance for an extended period.
“Congratulations to him [Kohli]. He has undoubtedly been a champion player for an extended period, especially in the white-ball formats where he has excelled as a phenomenal 50-over player,” Ponting remarked. “In fact, I think I’ve previously stated that I’ve never seen a better 50-over player than Virat Kohli.
“It’s astonishing when you consider it, isn’t it? Just how consistent Virat has been over such a lengthy span, yet he is still 4,000 runs behind Sachin. It clearly demonstrates Sachin’s greatness and his longevity in the sport. Reflecting on how long Sachin played and maintained such high standards, that’s the true measure of excellence—how long you can uphold it.
“I have always said that big games bring out big players. You need your top players to shine in crucial moments. And there is no bigger match for India than one against Pakistan. So, it’s no surprise to me that it unfolded this way,” he stated. “It’s very much akin to how we speak about competing against England. Your legacy is built on your performance in the critical contests at the international level.
“And there couldn’t have been a more significant moment than Sunday night when Pakistan batted first on a challenging pitch. It required someone at the top of the order to deliver a match-winning performance, and yet again, it was Kohli who stepped up to accomplish the task.”