Ricky Ponting On Virat Kohli's Pursuit Of Sachin Tendulkar's ODI Record: 'You Never Write Him Off'

March 2, 2025: Virat Kohli’s remarkable career continues to scale new heights as he inches closer to his 300th One Day International (ODI), a milestone that will solidify his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game. In his most recent match, Kohli produced a masterclass against Pakistan, scoring an unbeaten century that not only propelled him to No. 5 in the ICC ODI rankings but also made him just the third player in history to surpass 14,000 runs in ODIs.

Kohli has already surpassed Australian legend Ricky Ponting on the all-time ODI run charts, and now, with just 149 runs separating him from Kumar Sangakkara's second-place total of 14,234 runs, he is poised to make yet another leap in this elite list. However, the ultimate challenge still lies ahead: the daunting figure of Sachin Tendulkar, who remains the all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs with 18,426 runs. Kohli still trails Tendulkar by 4,341 runs, and the question remains—can he catch the Master Blaster?

Ricky Ponting, who once held the second spot on the all-time list, weighed in on Kohli’s remarkable feat and the task of surpassing Tendulkar. “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 just goes to show how good Sachin was, but also his longevity in the game, how long Sachin played for, and how long you’re able to maintain such high levels as an individual player,” Ponting said in a video posted by the ICC on Instagram.

Tendulkar’s longevity in international cricket is unparalleled. The batting maestro played 463 ODIs and 200 Test matches over a career that spanned two decades. In comparison, Kohli, at 36, is still in the prime of his career, known for his impeccable fitness and unyielding hunger for runs. Ponting believes these qualities could enable Kohli to challenge Tendulkar’s record in the coming years.

"That’s the one thing I’ve always judged excellence on — how long you can maintain it for. And you know, Sachin, 200 Test matches and probably over 500 One Day Internationals, it’s incredible longevity and an incredible career,” Ponting added.

“And with someone like Virat, you never write him off. I’m sure he’d be motivated by that. I think, now that he’s gone past me, he wants to give himself the best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run-scorer in the game. So as long as the hunger’s there, and obviously, physically, he’s probably as fit as he’s ever been and works exceptionally hard on that side of his game, then I’m never going to write him off," Ponting said.

Kohli’s fitness and hunger for runs are key factors in his potential to challenge Tendulkar’s long-standing record. At 36, Kohli still has a few years left to continue his pursuit of greatness. Given his consistent performances and unmatched fitness levels, overtaking Sangakkara seems inevitable. But reaching Tendulkar’s tally will require Kohli to maintain his exceptional form for several more years, a feat few players have ever achieved in the history of cricket.

As Kohli approaches his 300th ODI, it’s clear that the road ahead holds even greater challenges, but with his unrelenting drive and unmatched work ethic, there’s no telling how far this cricketing legend can go. The world will be watching closely to see if Virat Kohli can join the ranks of the few players who have defied the odds to achieve greatness.