The debate on the greatest cricket player of this generation has long been focused on four modern giants – Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root And Kane Williamson. Each of these strikers has engraved its name in the history of cricket with exceptional records, remarkable consistency and revolutionary performance. While Kohli dominated the previous decade with its aggressive striker and its ability to chase targets, the unorthodox technique of Smith, the resurgence of Root and the play of the classic Broke of Williamson added other dimensions to this discussion in progress.
Recently, the debate rekindled after Smith reached the milestone of 10,000 points in Test Cricket. His feat, carried out during the first test against Sri Lanka In Galle, cemented its place among the cricket elite. Smith has joined Australian legends Ricky Ponting, Allan Border And Steve Wash in the prestigious club.
Choice of Ricky Ponting: Best player from the current generation
Smith’s entry into the 10,000 trial club occurred in just 205 rounds, making him the fifth fastest striker to reach the landmark. Only the big crickets Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara And Ponting achieved the feat in fewer sleeves. In the same game, Smith won his 35th century of test, adding another achievement to his already illustrious career.
The legendary captain of Australia Ricky Ponting weighed on the debate, offering his perspective on Smith’s place among his contemporaries.
“Is he the best player of his generation?” It is difficult to argue, ” Ponting was quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.
He recognized the radiance of Root and Williamson, highlighting their incredible records and their consistency that Ponting noted that if Smith, Kohli, Williamson and Root emerged as the “Fab Four” at almost at the same time, the transformation of Root in recent years has considerably raised his standing sound.
“Joe Root is the other now, and [Kane] Williamson’s record is also exceptional. The last two years of Joe went up up there, I think five or six years ago, when this Big Four emerged, with [Virat] Kohli being also one of them, Joe was probably broken down near the lower part of that because he had not done the hundreds that the other guys had done, but he did 19 cents during the last four years, “ The former Australian cricket player said.
However, Ponting admitted that subjectivity plays a huge role in the debate.
“If you asked an Englishman, they would say Joe Root. If you asked an Australian, they would say Steve Smith. If you asked a kiwi, they would say Kane Williamson. It is difficult, but on the figures themselves, it is difficult to oppose what Smith did, ” Ponting ended.
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Can the cricket superstar recover its domination?
While Smith, Root and Williamson continue to raise records, the form of Kohli has dropped considerably, which led to questions about the reduction of its formerly dominant status. At 36, the Indian maestro finds himself struggling to correspond to the standards he has established in the last decade. Its capacity formerly unknown to dictate terms in the three formats has decreased, and its recent test performance has been disappointing compared to its advanced years.
From 2016 to 2019, Kohli was the undisputed king of world cricket, marking formats with unequaled hunger. However, in recent years, he found himself struggling with inconsistency, not having won large scores at the frequency he has made.
Achieving the urgency of rekindling its red ball shape, Kohli has returned to domestic cricket after an absence of 13 yearsopting to play for DelhI in the Ranji trophy. Its presence at the Arun Jaitley stadium for Delhi’s shock against the railways created a massive buzz, fans flowing in large numbers to attend their icon in action. The crowd broke out in deafening songs of “Kohli, Kohli”, While the Indian superstar took the ground, a testimony of its eternal popularity despite its recent difficulties.
