Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has lavished praise on Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, calling him the greatest One-Day International (ODI) batsman he has ever seen. Ponting also believes that Kohli has a strong chance of surpassing legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time ODI run tally.

Kohli recently scored an unbeaten century—his 51st in ODIs—guiding India to a dominant six-wicket victory over Pakistan in a Champions Trophy clash. The knock not only helped India maintain their dominance over their arch-rivals but also saw Kohli surpass Ponting’s career tally in ODI runs.

“Best ODI Player Ever”
Speaking on ICC Review, Ponting stated, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better 50-over player than Virat Kohli. Now that he’s moved ahead of me in the run charts and only two players remain ahead, I’m sure he will push himself to become the all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs.”

With 14,085 runs to his name, Kohli now joins an elite club that includes Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and the great Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the all-time record with 18,426 runs.

Kohli vs Tendulkar: The Chase Continues
Though Kohli is still 4,341 runs away from Tendulkar’s milestone, Ponting believes it’s not out of reach. “Physically, he’s as fit as ever and works incredibly hard on his game. It’s crazy to think how good Kohli has been for so long, yet he’s still thousands of runs behind Sachin. That shows how dominant Sachin was and his longevity in the sport,” Ponting remarked.

However, he did not rule out Kohli breaking the record. “With someone like Virat, you never write him off. If he stays hungry, then anything is possible.”

Kohli’s Love Affair with Pakistan Clashes
Ponting highlighted Kohli’s ability to rise to the occasion against Pakistan, citing his match-winning knock in the 2022 T20 World Cup as another example. “Whenever India plays Pakistan, Kohli brings out his best. In a tricky run chase, it needed a senior batter to step up, and once again, it was Kohli.”

Pakistan’s Struggles Continue
While Kohli shined, Pakistan’s batting once again failed to deliver. Ponting pointed out that Pakistan’s senior batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, could not rise to the occasion. “They needed to score big runs, but they haven’t been able to do that in the first two games. That’s why Pakistan might not even make the semi-finals,” he added.

Ponting also emphasized the importance of big individual scores in winning matches. “A fifty never wins you games. You need big scores and partnerships. Kohli provided that for India, while Pakistan lacked it.”

The Pakistan cricket team continues to face severe backlash following its early exit from the Champions Trophy 2025. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar delivered a stinging critique, stating that Pakistan would struggle even against a second-string Indian team.

India, the 2023 ODI World Cup finalists, secured a commanding six-wicket victory over defending champions Pakistan in their Group A match in Dubai on Sunday. The loss extended Pakistan’s winless streak in the tournament and ultimately led to their elimination.

“I think a B team (from India) can certainly challenge Pakistan. A C team, I’m not too sure, but a B team would be very, very hard to beat for Pakistan in their current form,” Gavaskar remarked on Sports Today.

Pakistan’s Decline Since 2017

Pakistan’s cricketing fortunes have seen a sharp decline since their 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, finishing fifth in the last two ODI World Cups.

“Pakistan always had natural talent,” Gavaskar said. “Their players may not always be technically correct, but they had an instinctive understanding of the game. Look at Inzamam-ul-Haq—his stance wasn’t perfect, but his temperament made up for it.”

Despite the presence of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and domestic white-ball tournaments, Pakistan has struggled to produce world-class players. Gavaskar compared this to India’s success, attributing their depth in talent to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“India’s young stars come from the IPL. They gain exposure there, play in the Ranji Trophy, and then break into the national team. Pakistan must analyze why they no longer have the bench strength they once had,” he suggested.

Atherton: ‘India vs Pakistan No Longer a Competitive Rivalry’

Former England captain Michael Atherton expressed his disappointment over the declining competitiveness of India vs. Pakistan matches, labeling them one-sided affairs.

“It was completely predictable,” Atherton said on Sky Sports Podcast. “Pakistan’s batting lacked energy and dynamism, just like in their opening match against New Zealand.”

Atherton pointed out that while India vs Pakistan is one of the most anticipated fixtures in world cricket, the lack of competitiveness is a major concern.

“There’s so much hype around this fixture, but the cricket does not live up to it. If you look at their ODI meetings in the last 10 years, Pakistan has only won once—during the 2017 Champions Trophy final. So, it’s a one-sided contest right now.”

Historically, Pakistan leads the India-Pakistan ODI head-to-head record with 58 wins to India’s 73 in 136 games. However, their recent performances suggest they have lost the competitive edge that once defined the rivalry.

With Pakistan’s cricket team facing growing scrutiny from fans and analysts alike, urgent introspection and reforms may be necessary to reclaim their lost stature on the world stage.

Dubai, February 2025: India’s cricketing superstar Virat Kohli etched his name in history on Sunday, becoming the fastest batter to reach 14,000 runs in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He surpassed the previous record held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar during the Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan.

Kohli is now the third batter in ODI history to surpass 14,000 runs, joining an elite list that includes Sachin Tendulkar (18,246 runs) and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs).

Achieving this milestone in just 287 innings, Kohli shattered Tendulkar’s previous record of 350 innings and Sangakkara’s 378 innings.

Milestone Against Arch-Rivals

Coincidentally, both Kohli and Tendulkar reached their 14,000th ODI run against Pakistan. Needing only 15 runs on Sunday, Kohli achieved the feat with a crisp cover drive for four off Haris Rauf in the 13th over of the run chase.

Fastest to 13,000 Runs Too

The 36-year-old modern-day great was also the fastest to 13,000 ODI runs, achieving it in September 2023 against Pakistan during the Asia Cup in Colombo.

Most ODI Centuries Record Holder

Kohli already holds the record for most ODI centuries (50), surpassing Tendulkar during the 2023 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Mumbai.

Breaking Fielding Records Too

Earlier in the match, Kohli set another record by surpassing former captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s tally for the most catches by an Indian fielder in ODIs. With his 157th catch in his 299th ODI, Kohli went past Azharuddin’s 156 catches in 334 matches.

His forward diving catch at long-on dismissed Pakistan’s Naseem Shah off Kuldeep Yadav. Later, he took his 158th catch at deep midwicket, sending Khushdil Shah back to the pavilion off Harshit Rana’s bowling.

Kohli continues to set benchmarks in world cricket, reinforcing his status as one of the greatest batters of all time.

Jammu, February 2025: The streets of Jammu and Kashmir erupted in celebration as India secured a dominant six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy at Dubai.

People from all walks of life poured into the streets, waving the Indian flag and bursting firecrackers to mark the joyous occasion. The atmosphere was electric, with enthusiastic crowds chanting “India-India” in unison, celebrating the team’s spectacular performance.

The standout moment of the match was Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century, which guided India to victory with sheer brilliance. Fans praised Kohli’s remarkable batting and lauded the team’s outstanding all-round performance.

The celebrations reflected the collective pride and passion of the people, as they rejoiced in India’s triumph over their arch-rivals in one of cricket’s most thrilling contests.