Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting stated that Virat Kohli’s century against Pakistan in the high-pressure Champions Trophy 2025 clash was expected, given his reputation. Kohli remained unbeaten on 100, guiding India to a six-wicket win at the Dubai International Stadium on February 23.
Despite concerns over his form, especially after a shaky 22-run knock against Bangladesh, Kohli’s big-match temperament was never in doubt. He delivered a composed innings, expertly pacing the chase to secure India’s 242-run target.
This marked his 51st ODI century, a crucial knock amid speculation about his future. Ricky Ponting emphasized that it was only natural for a player of Kohli’s stature to rise to the occasion in an ICC event against Pakistan.
“I’ve always said big games equal big names. You need your big names to stand up in those big moments, and no bigger game for India than a game against Pakistan.”
”Your reputation is forged in what you do in the biggest contests on the international stage. So it’s no surprise to me that that has happened,” Ponting said on ICC Review (via ICC’s official website).
“And no bigger moment than last night when Pakistan had batted first on a tricky wicket. It needed someone at the top of the order to play a match-winning innings like that. And once again, it was Kohli to get the job done,” he added.
“I believe Virat Kohli is the best 50-over player I’ve ever seen”- Ricky Pointing
Virat Kohli extended his ODI century record while achieving multiple milestones against Pakistan. He became the third player, after Tendulkar and Sangakkara, to reach 14,000 ODI runs, surpassing Ponting’s 13,704.
In the same interview, the Australian legend mentioned that Kohli aims to finish his career as the highest run-scorer in ODI cricket.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better 50-over player than Virat Kohli. Now that he’s gone past me and only two ahead of him, I’m sure he would want to give himself the best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run scorer in the game,” Ponting said.
“As long as the hunger’s there, obviously physical-wise, he’s probably as fit as he’s ever been and works exceptionally hard on that side of his game,” he concluded.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.