Ricky Ponting, Who Played Against Sachin Tendulkar, Claims Virat Kohli is the ‘Greatest’ ODI Player He Has Ever Seen

Ricky Ponting also excluded ODI legends Kumar Sangakkara, Brian Lara, and Vivian Richards from contention for his 'greatest' player claim.

Ricky Ponting, Who Played Against Sachin Tendulkar, Claims Virat Kohli is the ‘Greatest’ ODI Player He Has Ever Seen

Ricky Ponting named Virat Kohli as the 'greatest' ODI player, overlooking Sachin Tendulkar. (via NDTV Sports)

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Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting surprisingly claimed that Virat Kohli is the ‘greatest’ ODI player he has ever seen, despite having played with and against some of the format’s finest. Ponting’s comments came ahead of the second ODI between India and Australia in Adelaide.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been criticized following India’s humiliating seven-wicket defeat to Australia in the opening match of the three-match ODI series. The two veteran icons, who now feature solely in the 50-over format, endured a tough outing on their return to the team after seven long months. Kohli and Sharma have not played international cricket since the 2025 Champions Trophy final.

However, the duo did not look convincing in the series opener in Perth. Rohit Sharma could only manage eight runs off 14 deliveries, before removed by Josh Hazlewood. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, who has always been a tough nut to crack by Australian bowlers with a stunning 2,451 runs-record in 51 ODIs against them, failed to open his account, getting dismissed off Mitchell Starc‘s delivery on an eight-ball duck. 

Despite their poor show and criticism, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting seemingly refused to write them off, expressing confidence in Kohli and Sharma’s ability to force a comeback. Speaking on the ICC Review podcast with ex-India all-rounder Ravi Shastri, he stated that the duo has been the best players for India over the past decade, even going on to label Kohli as the ‘best’ ODI player he has ever seen. Ponting said on the ICC Review podcast:

You don’t write off champion players ever. And these two guys [Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma] have been two of the best, and while I’m on record saying I think Virat’s the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen, you don’t write them off.

Ponting talked about Kohli and Sharma’s immense value to the team in winning matches, while also stating that they are likely to be part of India’s 2027 World Cup squad. The 50-year-old’s praise for Virat Kohli, even going to the extent of calling him the ‘greatest’ is what left fans surprised, as they were quick to point out the fact that Ricky Ponting disregarded another Indian legend, whom he once played against, Sachin Tendulkar.

Tendulkar is the highest run-getter in ODI cricket history with a staggering 18,426 runs to his name, including 49 hundreds and 96 fifties. In fact, he is the only player to have scored over 3,000 runs against the Australians, in the 50-over format. 

Ricky Ponting delivers strong verdict on Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy after Perth loss

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting made a bold assessment about Shubman Gill’s leadership, after the 26-year-old lost his first match as India’s new ODI captain. India, under the leadership of Gill suffered a disappointing seven-wicket defeat in the opening ODI of the three-match series between the two countries.

Ricky Ponting on Shubman Gill
Ricky Ponting lauded Shubman Gill’s leadership abilities, despite Perth defeat. (via India Today)

Shubman Gill, following the Perth loss, also became the second Indian captain to lose his first matches as skipper across all the three formats, while joining an unfortunate list of great captains to have faced a similar fate.

While his first ODI match as captain did not go as planned, Ponting shared that he was impressed at the 26-year-old’s leadership abilities, and that he even stamped his authority at crucial junctures during matches.

Ponting noted instances from the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which was Gill’s first outing as India’s Test captain. The Aussie legend highlighted how the young Indian batter led from the front, coming out of his usual calm and composed character. Ponting also suggested that Gill showed off his aggressive side, and that ‘bulldog’ came out in the fourth Test in Manchester. 

He’s [Shubman Gill] normally pretty calm and has a cool demeanor on the field. But that real fighting, sort of bulldog came out when his team needed him the most. –

So far, Gill has captained the Indian team in seven Tests, five T20Is, and one ODI. In the longest format, the Men in Blue have secured four wins, two losses, and one draw. Meanwhile, in the shortest format, they have recorded four wins and one loss.

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