Cricket legend Ricky Ponting has hailed Virat Kohli as the greatest ODI player ever, as the Indian star continues his record-breaking spree. Kohli’s unbeaten century (100)* against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday saw him rise to No.5 in the ICC’s ODI rankings and become only the third player to surpass 14,000 runs in 50-over cricket 🇮🇳💯.
📊 Kohli Nears More Records, Eyes Tendulkar’s Mark
Already ahead of Ponting on the all-time ODI run-scorers list, Kohli now stands just 149 runs away from Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs). However, the ultimate milestone remains Sachin Tendulkar’s staggering 18,426-run record, which Kohli still trails by 4,341 runs 😲🏆.
Ponting believes Kohli has the hunger and fitness to chase down the record:
💬 “With someone like Virat, you never write him off. As long as his hunger remains, he’ll push himself to be remembered as the all-time leading run-scorer.” 🔥
The former Australia captain also marveled at Tendulkar’s longevity:
💬 “It’s crazy, isn’t it? Kohli has been at the top for so long, yet he’s still 4,000 runs behind Sachin. It just shows how great Sachin was, but also how consistent Virat has been.” 🏏👑
🎯 Big Games, Big Names – Kohli Delivers Against Pakistan
Kohli’s form had been under scrutiny following a lean Border-Gavaskar Trophy (average 23.75) and mixed ODI performances against England (5 & 52) and Bangladesh (22). However, Ponting wasn’t surprised that Kohli delivered when it mattered most:
💬 “Big games equal big names. No bigger moment than India vs Pakistan. Kohli stepped up, as great players do.” 👏💥
With India eyeing major tournaments, Kohli’s return to form is a massive boost for the Men in Blue.
🚀 What’s Next for Kohli?
📌 Next Target: Surpassing Sangakkara 🏆
📌 Long-Term Goal: Chasing Sachin’s ODI record 👀
💭 Can Kohli break Tendulkar’s record before retirement? Drop your thoughts below in the comments! ⬇️
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