Ponting refuses to draw comparisons between Kohli and Sachin. Virat Kohli is only 25 centuries away from being the second player in International cricket history to hit 100 centuries.
Even before he debuted in international cricket Virat Kohli was being compared to Sachin Tendulkar and was expected to smash all of the famous cricketer’s records at one point. Even though the former India captain has previously remarked that he dislikes these parallels because Sachin is the reason he began playing cricket, the buzz has not subsided. Now, with each century, Virat is reminded that he is getting closer to Sachin’s record of 100 centuries, which was previously thought to be impossible to break.
Nonetheless, veteran cricketer Ricky Ponting isn’t a fan of comparing Virat to Sachin, at least for the time being. The 48-year-old, on the other hand, emphasized that cricket has become much easier with modifications in so many rules, such as fewer fielders outside the circle and the fact that balls don’t reverse swing as often in white-ball cricket these days.
“Trying to compare the times, and I know Virat played a little bit at the end of what Sachin played. But it’s a different game now. ” There are distinct rules in 50-over cricket, for example, with fewer fielders beyond the circle. There are two new balls. I think it makes it a lot easier now for batting than probably ever before. “There’s no doubt that the bats have improved,” claimed the Australian legend.
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I always rate a player’s quality based on their longevity in the game: Ponting
“Field restrictions and new balls are also important factors. ” When Sachin was playing ODIs, it was difficult to see the ball towards the end of a 50-over game. It was quite soft. It was difficult to hit because it (would) reverse swing. “You don’t see that in the modern 50-over game,” Ponting said on the most recent episode of the ICC Review.
The two-time World Cup winner also stated that comparing Virat to Sachin can only be done once the latter declares his retirement from the game. Until then, he has a lot more cricket to play and a lot of records to break.
“I always like to judge a player’s quality based on their longevity in the game.” That, I believe, is the finest approach to evaluate performers since maintaining such a high level of performance for so long is the most difficult thing to do. Some players can come in and seem like the best players in the world for three or four years, but only the very best can sustain it for long periods of time, and Sachin has done it for more than 20 years at the international level. To play 200 Test matches (like Tendulkar did) is an incredible accomplishment.
Furthermore, Ricky Ponting felt that comparing Kohli at this point would be unfair because Tendulkar already had 100 centuries during his illustrious career while the modern great is still playing and it will take time to reach that special milestone that the Master Blaster has already attained. As a result, any comparison will only be fair once Virat bows out of international cricket.
“Virat has all of that ahead of him right now.” There’s no mistake about it: he’s a fantastic player. He now has over 70 international hundreds. Sachin got a hundred, didn’t he? Let’s wait until Virat’s career is complete before making any comparisons,” he added.
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