“He’s been a champion player of the game in all three formats”- Ricky Ponting never lost hope in Virat Kohli despite his slump form

“He’s been a champion player of the game in all three formats”- Ricky Ponting never lost hope in Virat Kohli despite his slump form

Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was struggling with a rough patch that made him the target of criticism from fans and cricket experts alike. But former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting never lost hope in the former India captain. Ponting said he never doubted Kohli’s abilities and called him a champion player of the game in all three formats. 

Following his lean patch, Kohli took a one-month break from cricket. After the break, the Delhi-born cricketer is playing like a maniac, scoring runs and winning matches for India in the toughest of situations; he slammed his first ton after three years against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022. As many criticized Kohli, the former Aussie skipper believed in his comeback. “He’s been a champion player of the game in all three formats for a long period of time,” Ponting was quoted as saying by ICC on Saturday.

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“One thing I’ve learnt about champion players, in this game in particular, is you just never write them off. They always tend to find a way, particularly when it matters most, to dig deep enough and find a way to get a job done,” Ponting added.

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Ponting termed Virat Kohli’s match-winning knock against Pakistan as one of the best sporting spectacles

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli

Ricky Ponting explained that the T20 format is an “older man’s game” where knowledge and experience help to combat pressure situations. The two-time World Cup champion also praised Rohit Sharma and the management team for keeping Virat Kohli despite his poor form because the Men in Blue are now “reaping the rewards”. 

Ponting called India’s nail-biting victory over Pakistan, where Kohli became the hero of the country, “one of the best sporting spectacles that I’ve ever seen“. Kohli slammed an unbeaten 82* off 53 balls to chase down the 160-run target in their opening game in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. 

Ponting believes that if India reaches the semi-final or final, Kohli will produce something big. “India now, I think, are reaping the rewards of keeping him there and if they go on to the next stage then I’m sure he’ll produce something big in one of the finals as well,” the 47-year-old added. 

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