Virat Kohli stands as a formidable force in the world of cricket, with his sights set on surpassing legendary figures in the realm of one-day international (ODI) runs. Currently, he is more than 4,000 runs behind Sachin Tendulkar, the all-time leading ODI scorer. Despite this gap, Kohli has already achieved an impressive milestone by surpassing 14,000 runs in the format.
His career highlights include an unbeaten century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, showcasing his prowess on the field. Kohli now trails Kumar Sangakkara and Sachin Tendulkar in the list of leading ODI scorers. With his next game against New Zealand, Kohli is just 150 runs shy of overtaking Sangakkara, a feat that cricket legend Ricky Ponting believes is within reach.
"With someone like Virat, you never write him off, because I'm sure he would be motivated by that (achieving the record)." – Ricky Ponting
Ponting, who ranks fourth among the leading ODI scorers with 13,704 runs, expressed confidence in Kohli's capabilities. At 36 years old, Kohli remains active and committed, maintaining peak physical fitness and a relentless drive to succeed.
"Now that he's gone past me and only two ahead of him, I'm sure he wants to give himself the best chance to be remembered as the all-time leading run scorer in the game." – Ricky Ponting
Kohli's tally now stands at 14,085 runs, and Ponting anticipates it won't be long before he surpasses Sangakkara. Kohli's remarkable consistency over the years has been nothing short of extraordinary.
"It's crazy when you think about it… how good Virat's been over such a long period of time, yet he's still 4,000 runs behind Sachin." – Ricky Ponting
Kohli's dedication and skill have kept him at the forefront of cricket excellence. His commitment to maintaining high performance levels sets him apart from many of his contemporaries.
"So, as long as the hunger's there… physically, he's probably as fit as he's ever been and works exceptionally hard on that side of his game. If the hunger's still there then I'm never going to write him off." – Ricky Ponting
"That's the one thing I've always judged excellence on, is how long you can maintain it for." – Ricky Ponting
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