Virat Kohli discarded in 'best player of the generation' debate as Ricky Ponting makes Steve Smith argument

Virat Kohli was not mentioned in the conversation as former Australia captain Ricky Pon000ting debated who could be the "best player of this generation." The Aussie legend sided with Steve Smith just moments after he reached the milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket, and later notched up his 35th century on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Ricky Ponting picked Steve Smith as the 'best player of this generation'

It was a milestone day for Smith in Galle. With a single in the first ball of his knock, he became the 15th player to reach the five-figure landmark in Test cricket, fourth from Australia, joining the likes of Ponting, and joint second-fastest to the feat.

In the final session of the opening day, Smith scored his 35th Test century as he went past Sunil Gavaskar in the all-time list. The knock, alongside a 195-run stand with Usman Khawaja, saw Australia rack up 330 for two on Day 1 against a sloppy Sri Lankan side.

Following the big milestones Smith reached, Ponting reckoned it was hard to look past the star batter as the best batter in the current generation. Although, he admitted England's Joe Root is right up their in the conversation.

"Is he the best player of his generation? It's hard to argue against it. Joe Root is the other one now, and [Kane] Williamson's record is outstanding as well. Joe's last couple of years have elevated him right back up there, I think," Ponting was quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald.

'5-6 years ago, Kohli was among them'

Till 2020, the former India captain led the Fab Four in terms of most centuries scored, with his tally reading 27, one more than Smith, six more than Kane Williamson, while Root stood last with only 17 tons. But in the next four years, the former England captain went on a stellar century spree in the traditional format, scoring 19 tons during the period to stand at the top of the list. His tally of 36 centuries is now one more than Smith, three more than Williamson, while Kohli dropped to the last spot having managed only three centuries in the last four years.

"Five or six years ago, when this big four emerged, with [Virat] Kohli being one of those as well, Joe was probably down near the bottom part of that because he hadn't made the hundreds the other guys had made, but he's made 19 hundreds in the past four years," he added.

"If you asked an Englishman they'd say Joe Root, if you asked an Aussie they'd say Steve Smith, and if you asked a Kiwi they'd say Kane Williamson. So it's a tough one, but on the numbers themselves it's pretty hard to argue against what he's done," said Ponting.

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