Ponting Names His Top 5 Test Batsmen of All Time

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting recently revealed his list of the five greatest Test batsmen of all time. The selection includes a pair of Indian legends, along with one player each from the West Indies, England, and New Zealand.

Sources indicate that the Indian stars featured are Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, both widely acclaimed as among cricket’s finest.

The esteemed list also encompasses former West Indies captain Brian Lara, celebrated for his exceptional talent, and England’s Joe Root, recognized as one of the premier modern Test batsmen.

Rounding out the selection is New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, admired for his sound technique and consistency.

Ponting shared his views during an interview:

Brian Lara’s Impact

“Brian Lara possessed the most remarkable skill of any batter I faced, and during my captaincy, he caused me more anxiety than anyone else.”

Admiration for Indian Batsmen

“Technically, Sachin was unparalleled, alongside Rahul Dravid. I’d include Joe in that category as well, and Kane Williamson.”

The former Australian captain also justified the inclusion of English all-rounder Ben Stokes, in spite of Stokes’ relatively modest statistical achievements.

Ben Stokes: The Situation Player

“Stokes is a unique case. Statistics don’t fully represent his value. His significance lies in specific moments; he’s a situational player. He excels when the pressure is highest.”

“When discussing the greats, you have to consider their impact on matches,” he added.

Ponting further lauded Joe Root’s development and reliability:

Joe Root’s Consistency

“His performance over the last five years has been remarkable. His numbers speak for themselves: he has amassed 13,500 runs. I evaluate players based on their ability to sustain peak performance.”

“One can be outstanding for a limited number of games, but can they maintain that level over 150 games? Joe may not have been exceptional in his initial 100 games, with 17 centuries in 97 Tests, but he has since evolved into a truly great player.”

“He has achieved 21 centuries in his last 60 games (leading up to the Oval Test),” he concluded.