Dubai [UAE], March 2: Virat Kohli’s illustrious career continues to soar as he nears his 300th One Day International (ODI) match. His remarkable unbeaten century against Pakistan in Dubai not only demonstrated his consistency but also propelled him to the fifth spot in the ICC ODI rankings. More notably, Kohli became just the third player in cricket history to surpass 14,000 runs in ODIs.
Kohli, who has already surpassed former Australian captain Ricky Ponting on the all-time ODI run charts, is now just 149 runs away from overtaking Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs) to claim second place. However, the ultimate challenge remains—Sachin Tendulkar’s 18,426 runs, with Kohli still 4,341 runs behind the Indian legend. This raises the question: can Kohli surpass the iconic “Master Blaster”?
Ponting, who once held the second position on the all-time run list, shared his thoughts on Kohli’s pursuit of cricketing greatness. “It’s crazy when you think about it, isn’t it? Just how good Virat’s been over such a long period of time, yet he’s still 4,000 runs behind Sachin. It goes to show how incredible Sachin was, but also his longevity in the game,” Ponting said in a video posted by ICC on Instagram.
Tendulkar’s record remains unmatched. The cricketing legend played 463 ODIs and 200 Test matches over a career that spanned more than two decades. On the other hand, Kohli is still going strong, renowned for his exceptional fitness and unyielding hunger for runs. Ponting believes that Kohli’s fitness and desire to succeed could propel him closer to Tendulkar’s record.
“And that’s the one thing I’ve always judged excellence on: how long you can maintain it. Sachin played over 200 Test matches and must have played more than 500 ODIs. His longevity and career are incredible,” Ponting added.
Ponting, however, remains confident that Kohli is not one to be written off. “With someone like Virat, you never write him off. I’m sure he’ll be motivated by that. I think, now that he’s passed me, he wants to give himself the best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run-scorer. So, as long as the hunger’s there, and he’s physically as fit as he’s ever been, I don’t see why he can’t continue his success,” Ponting stated.
At 36, Kohli still has several years left in his career. Given his consistency, dedication, and fitness, surpassing Sangakkara seems almost certain. However, catching up to Tendulkar’s monumental tally will require sustained brilliance, something only a few exceptional players in cricket’s history have managed.