Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting strongly believes that Virat Kohli still has a lot to achieve in international cricket. The Indian star batter endured a tough outing in his comeback game in Perth. Batting at number 3, Kohli was dismissed for a duck against Australia. During his short stay, the veteran batter looked a bit rusty.
Ponting feels Kohli can still make a big impact in upcoming matches if he stays focused and motivated. Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting said, “The one thing I don’t like hearing from anyone is that ‘I’ve achieved everything in the game’ because I think you still have to have some really short-term goals and not just be hanging on to try and get through to the 2027 World Cup.”
Ponting, who has always admired Kohli’s passion, further said: “Virat’s always been a highly motivated person. And I’d like to think that he’s probably sat down and even just given himself some goals and things that he can achieve in this series here in Australia, and not be just waiting and killing time for that next World Cup to come around.”
Team India are currently in Adelaide for the second ODI, where both Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be hoping to find better rhythm. Ponting believes both former captains can bounce back quickly. “Finding your rhythm and tempo is the biggest thing,” he said.
The Australian legend also backed both players to take part in the 2027 World Cup. “You don’t write off champion players — ever,” he asserted. “They’ll find a way to contribute and win games for their team… they’ll most likely be in that World Cup team in 2027.”
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