In an exclusive chat with The ICC Review, former Australian Captain Ricky Ponting goes down memory lane with the host Sanjana Ganesan and discusses some of the best innings of Sachin against Australia. He also makes reflective statements about the comparisons between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
Ahead of the legendary batsman’s 50th Birthday, Ponting states Sachin to be the best Batsman he has ever seen or played with and against. Both the cricketers have played together for the Indian Premier League team franchise, Mumbai Indians. Ricky claims Sachin had the answer for all the strategies that were made against him with his technical batting shots.
Ricky Ponting recalls Sachin’s remarkable innings of 241 against Australia in SGC, 2004. He believed his favourite shot was a straight drive and said, “The trademark things you think about with Tendulkar was just seeing the full face of that bat coming straight back down the line of the ball and straight back past the bowler. So I think that’d be his trademark for sure.”
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Ricky Ponting on Changes in Cricket in Modern Times
Ricky Ponting was asked to make a choice and pick the better player between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. He replied that he believes it is difficult to draw a comparison between cricket players of different eras, considering the game has changed concerning its rules. He believes that the rules have changed in modern times and have given opportunities to the batsmen to score more freely.
“When Sachin was playing ODIs, the ball at the end of a 50-over game was very hard to see. It was very soft. It was very hard to hit, it reverse swung. You don’t see that at all in the modern 50-over game.”
Ricky Ponting
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Ricky Ponting draws a comparison between old and modern-day cricket
“There are different rules, for instance, around 50-over cricket, with fewer fielders outside the circle. 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 got better. Field restrictions and new balls are a big part of it as well.
Ricky Ponting
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Ponting Compares Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli
Ponting believes Sachin Tendulkar has maintained the status of excellence for 20 years in International cricket, which is quite difficult. Having played 200 Test Matches, he has created history and is unbelievable.
“Virat’s got all that ahead of him just yet. He’s an unbelievably good player, there’s no doubt about that. He’s got over 70-odd international hundreds now. Sachin made a 100, didn’t he? Let’s wait until Virat’s career’s over and then I think it’ll a much fairer comparison.”
Ricky Ponting
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