Ricky Ponting may have just joined both Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar in Test cricket’s elite 10,000 run club, but according to former English batsman Geoff Boycott, the Australian Test skipper is not in the same league as his fellow modern-day greats.
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Ponting became just the seventh player all time to pass 10,000 Test runs during the second Test against the West Indies in Antigua.
He was also just the fourth player — along with recently retired West Indian Lara, and Indian duo Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid — to reach 10,000 runs in both Test and one-day international cricket.
But Boycott has told Cricinfo while he considers Ponting the world’s best batsman at present, he had not reached the all-time status enjoyed by Lara and Tendulkar.
“Ponting … is a top-class player and I think most people would vote him as the best player over the last couple of years,” said Boycott, one of four England players to score over 8,000 Test runs.
“But Lara and Tendulkar are iconic figures, which is about more than being just a terrific player.
“They have captured the imagination of the public.
“They haven’t just scored runs: Lara twice got the record of most Test runs and he still holds the record of the highest score in Test cricket. Those are huge figures. And the way he bats is just very special.
“Sachin is technically correct against all kinds of bowlers and the way he took Shane Warne apart when he came to India makes him more than just a terrific player.
“Sorry, I don’t think Ponting is in the same league as Lara or Tendulkar.”
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Larry said | June 13th 2008 @ 7:36am | Report comment
Okay, Ricky Ponting isn’t in the league of great batting slip-fielders, is he?
The others aren’t in the league of fantastic captaining (captaining?), unbelievable fielding and consistent centuries.
paulmc said | June 13th 2008 @ 9:14am | Report comment
But then dear old Geoff is in a different league – but even he can’t match Tom Graveny in the “most unexciting” player league
Spiro Zavos said | June 13th 2008 @ 9:32am | Report comment
To=m Graveney was a beautifully fluent stroke-making player, a reason why he was dropped so frequently from the England side. Boycott was a dour, self-interested batsman who put his averages ahead of the good of the team. When he played for Eastern Suburbs he was the top run scorer I believe in the Sydney grade championship. The side lost every game. The next year with Tony Greig the team won the first grade championship. How the other cricket commentators allow themselves to call Boycott ‘fiery’ is beyond me. His opinions are as self-interested, smug and boring as his batting.
How do you judge an iconic batsman? On all the standards Ricky Ponting fits the bill. He has a higher average than either Lara or Tendulkar. He has won Tests with his batting. He scores his runs quickly, like Lara and Tendulkar. He had weaknesses against spin early on his career but has overcome them. He bats first drop, arguably the most important batting position. In this position he takes the game to the bowlers not matter what the situation is.
In my view all three are fit to rank among the greatest ever in the game. Ponting, in a specific Australian context, is arguably the best Australian batsman over a long career after Sir Donald Bradman. The last time I made this statement, just before the Test series against India I somehow queered his pitch and he had, for him. a relatively poor batting series.
Let’s just say that Boycott is wrong on Ponting – as he is on so many other cricket matters.
Mike C said | June 13th 2008 @ 10:50am | Report comment
I must have seen the same Tom Graveney as Spiro when he (TG) toured Austrlia and New Zealand in 1954-55. He still rates as one of the best batsmen I’ve had the pleasure of watching in the last 60 odd years.
Not sure who it was that paulmc saw?
JohnB said | June 13th 2008 @ 11:05am | Report comment
As with most pundits, Boycott won’t continue to be paid for long if he just comes out with bland statements, and his schtick is curmudgeonly Yorkshireman which also has an effect. Consequently, much of what he says should be taken with a grain of salt. However, I think there is a difference between Ponting and Tendulkar/Lara in that Ponting has never been to Australian cricket what they have been to Indian and West Indian cricket – the whole focus of attention and (to use an old-fashioned phrase) hope of the side. That’s a product of both the differences in the psychologies of the respective countries, and also in the relevant strength in depth of their cricket teams. If you disregard those sorts of intangibles and just look at which one is the best player and has the best record of the 3, Ponting is right in the mix (particularly if you reward consistency).