Ricky Ponting, the renowned Australian cricketer, has expressed his conviction that Virat Kohli might exceed Sachin Tendulkar’s astounding record of the most One Day International (ODI) centuries during the current World Cup. Tendulkar is atop the scoreboard with 49 ODI centuries, while Kohli is just two centuries shy of the great Indian opener.
Kohli’s outstanding record includes an astonishing 47 hundred in just 282 ODIs. The famed Indian batsman wasted no time closing in on the record during his opening outing in the 2023 World Cup against Australia. In Chennai on Sunday, Kohli excellently led India’s batting efforts but was removed for 85. In a circumstance where India had lost three wickets with just two runs on the board, Kohli, alongside KL Rahul, played a key part in rescuing the team and ultimately securing a six-wicket victory.
Looking ahead, with at least eight more matches to play in this World Cup, Ponting is of the opinion that Kohli has a decent chance of topping the record with ease.
“I think he will. I think he’ll definitely get two hundreds, whether he gets the three is another thing,” Ponting said on The ICC Review podcast.
He also added that the venues in India are batting-friendly which makes things easier for Kohli to get there. “But the venues, the wickets, and the grounds in India are just so conducive to scoring, making big runs. Who knows with him, it’s probably his last World Cup as well,” Ponting further added.
Ricky Ponting noted how Virat Kohli’s unquenchable hunger for runs and his unwavering determination to earn victory for the team have been extraordinary. During the current podcast episode, Ponting also hinted at the prospect that this World Cup would be Kohli’s final outing on the global stage.
“If he gets that mindset, and we saw that he’s in pretty good touch, and we know with him he’s always hungry. He’s a winner, he wants success for himself and for his team,” he added.
“There is every chance at the end of this World Cup he could be equal with, if not breaking Sachin’s record, which is remarkable within itself,” he concluded.
Also Read: Fans Trolled Babar Azam As ‘Zimbabar’
