Two Indian batters have made it into the list of the top five greatest-ever batters of the former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting, and neither of them is Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. The former leader has also picked Brian Lara as the most skillful one he has ever played against, besides addressing two modern players from the Fab Four, including Joe Root and Kane Williamson.

Indian fans won’t be happy with no names of Kohli and Rohit, but interestingly, Ponting has avoided keeping an Australian player in the list in the form of Steve Smith or someone else. The former captain went with Sachin and Rahul as the two players, who ended their careers with 34357 and 24208 runs respectively.

See Also: [WATCH] Alastair Cook imitates Rishabh Pant's iconic paddle sweep shot

“Brian Lara was the most skilful batsman I played against, and when I was captain, he gave me more sleepless nights than anybody. Sachin was technically as good as anyone I’ve seen, along with Rahul Dravid; I’d put Joe in there now as well, and Kane Williamson.” Ponting expressed in The Times during a recent conversation.

Ricky Ponting keeps Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in his top-five greatest batters

Even though Root is the current second leading Test getter, Ponting feels that Stokes can bring the big-game impact. He separately went with Jacques Kallis as the greatest cricketer he had seen. Ponting also hailed Root’s transformation of converting the 50s to 100s.

“Stokes is a hard one. Numbers don’t define him. It’s been about moments with him; he’s a situation player. When things get toughest, he’s been at his best. When you’re talking about the greats, you’ve got to talk about impact on games.” The Tasmanian batter, who is the fourth leading run-getter in international cricket with 27483 runs, claimed.

 “What he’s done the past five years is extraordinary. Look at the numbers: he’s got 13,500 runs. I rank players on how long they can stay at the top of their powers. You can be a great player for 30 to 40 games, but can you do it for 150 games?” Ricky Ponting concluded the conversation.

It was the second Ashes 2005 Test at Edgbaston in 2005. The excitement around the United Kingdom about the game was huge. Everyone had an eye on the Tests as Australia took a 0-1 lead in the opening fixture at Lord’s. The home side batted first and posted 407 runs on the board with several half-centuries in the first innings.

Australia also got several starts in the second innings, while Justin Langer ended with 82 runs, and Ricky Ponting, the leader, scored 61 runs. The Michael Vaughan-led side grabbed a 99-run lead before getting bundled out for just 182 runs in the third innings as Andrew Flintoff cracked 73 runs in 86 balls at a strike rate of 84.88.

See Also: [WATCH] DC star comments on KL Rahul's nature during IPL 2025

Then came the most famous over of the series from Flintoff. It was the 13th over of the fourth innings. Langer, the left-handed batter, pushed the very first ball of the over into the point region. The Lancashire all-rounder pulled the length back a little as it jagged back to the southpaw and disturbed the stumps.

Watch: Relive Andre Flintoff’s iconic Ashes 2005 over to dismiss Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer

The entire crowd went wild as the home side found its energy back. Ponting was the next batter at number three. He faced the first ball, which changed its direction and hurried on to the pads of the right-handed batter, as the umpire, Billy Bowden, shook his head. Flintoff kept the same line and length on the fourth ball as Ponting got an outside edge into the gully.

🗓️ On This Day in 2005…

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 Freddie Flintoff over 🚀

Iconic. pic.twitter.com/MUD3UbtpSq

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 6, 2025

Suddenly, there was an incredible change around the ground. Ponting was lucky to get away on the fifth delivery as the ball hit his pad outside the off-stump. But he couldn’t do much on the sixth and last delivery of the over. Before that, it was a no-ball that the batter left outside the off stump.

On the last ball, Flintoff got the ball on the fifth stump line as the Tasmania batter went for a huge drive and ended up getting an outside edge on the bat. The England bowler ended with figures of 4/79 in 22 overs as the visitors were bundled out for 279 runs. England leveled the series with a victory by two runs.

It has been a general enquiry among many spectators of the game as to why Australia has always been one of the most successful sides across formats. Whether it comes to the 50-over, 20-over or the longest format of the game, Australia always find themselves at the top of the ladder, with incredible consistency from one ICC event to another. Even in bilateral series, they had been phenomenal with their performances.

The former captain of the side, Ricky Ponting, feels that the upbringing and growth of the players from the club level is so strong, and that’s the reason for them to do well in international cricket. It takes them so long to get into the first-class team before the national side.

See Also: [WATCH] Mohammed Siraj traps Ollie Pope LBW during ENG vs IND 5th Test at Kennington Oval

‘If you look at the facts, England wins more in England and Australia wins more in Australia. As far as it is in the game. I think the club cricket in Australia is hard. Six first-class teams (means) you have to do everything right at the club to get a first-class game. So, you've got to be the right player and character. With the teams, the cricket is much more competitive than what county cricket is.’ Ricky Ponting expressed on Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Ricky Ponting discusses why Australia produces better cricketers than England

‘Before you get a chance to play for your country, you have to build a solid upbringing and grounding to be ready to play international cricket. That’s probably the reason. But at the end of the day, whether you play at home or in England, you've got to bat, bowl, and field well. It’s that simple, but the hardest thing in our game.’ The Tasmanian batter added.

"Club cricket in Australia is hard" 🏏

Do Australia just produce better cricketers than England? 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/sCMyoWpisk

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 3, 2025

The veteran shed light on how this England side had built a strong core of players to do well in the upcoming away Ashes 2025/26 trip, which will be incredibly interesting to enjoy.

‘Some of England’s best batters have been in Australia, and they average around 20. You are not going to win games or series with that. And it’s the same for Australia. You will have challenges, and it sometimes becomes uncomfortable and unnatural to what you have been brought up to. The best players always find a way. Some of those teams that have won have been built over time. This England’s Bazball team is picked only to beat Australia in Australia, and I love that.’ Ricky Ponting included.

Batting has worked out for India in this five-match series in England, but even after eight innings at Old Trafford in Manchester, they have yet to find out their number three position in the batting order. Karun Nair batted at this position four times and managed 110 runs at an average of 27.50, while Sai Sudharsan got just 61 runs in the first innings of Manchester. 

In the last three series, they used multiple options at number three, including Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Paddikal, Nair, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and many others. None of them was able to provide them the contribution they perhaps expected, like they got from Cheteshwar Pujara or Rahul Dravid in the past.

See Also: ENG vs IND 2025: Predicted match result for 4th Test in Manchester

‘For Sudharsan, it was all mental fatigue and tiredness. That’s why number three is such a tough place. Around the world, there are not many number three players who have produced consistent performances on the back day. You need to deal with a certain scenario or situation. It’s a difficult place to bat.’ Stuart Broad, the former pacer, shed light during a post-show on Sky Sports Cricket.

Watch: Stuart Broad and Ricky Ponting analyze India’s number 3 in ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

Broad pointed out how the number three position around the world hasn’t contributed much. He reckoned that Sudharsan’s dismissal in the second innings of Manchester came only because of the mental fatigue. Ricky Ponting added a little more than that.

"Sudharsan is going to be good enough" 💪

Ricky Ponting & Stuart Broad discuss the number three batting position for India 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/haiLbiOHRO

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 27, 2025

‘It just creates internal pressure a youngster doesn’t need, looking over the shoulder. That was where it surprised me. They made a call in the first Test on Sudharsan and then went back to him. I wasn’t that young when I moved up to three. But it requires a bit of reassurance from the captain and coaches about how he goes. Ben Stokes has done it to Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley and kept backing them to get the match-winning knocks.’ Ponting addressed.

India finished the fourth day with 130 runs behind and eight wickets in hand. Both Shubman Gill and KL Rahul remained unbeaten at the close and will need to stay longer in the crease for India to end the game in a draw.

Even though the current focus for the England players and the fans is on the current five-match Test series against India at home, they have an eye on the upcoming Ashes 2025/26 trip to Australia. It could be the last tour for many veteran players, and they won’t want to lose an opportunity to get the urn back, which they lost in 2017/18.

Surprisingly, the Ben Stokes-led side hasn’t won a single Test in their last three trips to Australia, which includes one whitewash of 5-0 and two margins of 4-0. But the pitches are going to be under the scanner for the series, as the former captain, Ricky Ponting, reacted during a recent interaction on Sky Sports Cricket.

See Also: 'Batting these days is easier...'- Former England star makes shocking remark during ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

‘The pink ball Test is hard to play with the brand new ball as well as in the evening session. In Brisbane, on Day 1, it’s a challenge early on. It can get better as the game goes on. The MCG one is interesting because that’s probably been the hardest wicket to bat on in the last four or five years because they got a point to do that. They got a poor rating for two to three years in a row. If they produce another Test match like that, they would have lost the game.’ Ponting expressed during the discussion.

Watch: Ricky Ponting analyzes pitch conditions for Ashes 2025/26

Ponting clarified that the recent surfaces at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) have changed because the club is getting a few poor ratings. He stated how the groundsmen kept leaving 8 mm grass when Scott Boland returned with figures of 6/7.

How tough will the pitches be in Australia for batters in the Ashes? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/asX6hleUfY

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2025

‘MCG goes back to redo the dropping. In Melbourne, for the last two to three years, they had nearly 8 mm of grass on it, and Stuart Broad was talking about it earlier that Scott Boland’s debut against England when he got a 6-fer. That’s not characteristic of what MCG used to be.’ The Tasmania-born reckoned.

The pressure, among the batters, will be on Joe Root, who hasn’t yet celebrated a single Test century in Australia but will have an eye on that monkey to take off his shoulders. After all, he is currently the second leading run-getter of the format in the all-time list.

The third day of the fourth Test match between England and India at Old Trafford in Manchester belonged to Joe Root, who registered several records during his 150-run knock in the first innings. The morning started with the former captain going past the all-time red-ball runs of Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. 

Later, with another century, Root equaled Kumar Sangakkara for the joint fourth-most Test centuries (38) in the five-day format. He also went past Steve Smith to celebrate his 12th and the most Test centuries against India. In the evening, he became the second-leading run-getter, overtaking Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, who reflected on Root’s career.

See Also: [WATCH] Tim David celebrates new T20I record for Australia during third T20I vs West Indies

‘He has scored through his career about 85 runs per game, and you have another 20 and 30 games, and if he can go in those terms, then that record of Tendulkar isn’t that far out of reach. So, no signs of slowing down. Elegant, stylish, hungry, every term that you want to use. He has made it clear that he is not a big fan of stats, and you don’t know when you are playing.’ Ponting acknowledged at the end of the day on Sky Sports.

Watch: Ricky Ponting reflects on Joe Root becoming second-leading run-getter in Tests

Ponting addressed how the veteran won’t get much time to look at these records until he finishes and is proud of the achievements. He also pointed out how the Yorkshire batter would think of winning the series against India, rather than looking at his milestone.  

🗣️ "Elegant, stylish, hungry, every term that you want to use!"

Ricky Ponting on Joe Root passing him to become the second-highest Test run-scorer of all time ✨ pic.twitter.com/rVCaQbAcNf

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 25, 2025

‘But when you finish, that’s what you have to sit back and be proud of what he has achieved. With the amount of games you play these days and moving from game to game, you don’t have much time to reflect and tour what you have done, and he will be able to look back at this record and be proud of what he has done.’ Ponting expressed.

Root finished with 150 runs with the help of 14 boundaries at a strike rate of 60.48 as England finished the day with 544/7 in 135 overs. They have already taken a lead of 186 runs and are likely to win the series by a 3-1 margin.

For the first time in a decade, Team India has conceded over 500 runs in an innings in an overseas Test. This occurred during the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, where the hosts have piled on a massive total in their first innings. The last instance of India giving away 500-plus runs in an overseas Test dates back to 2015, during the fourth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In that match, Australia posted 572/7 declared, with key contributions from several top-order batters.

Australia’s dominant first-innings performance in that 2015 Test was powered by centuries from David Warner (101) and Steve Smith (117), along with vital half-centuries from Chris Rogers (95), Shane Watson (81), Shaun Marsh (73), and Joe Burns (58). Despite toiling hard in the field, India’s bowling unit could not contain the Australians, although Mohammed Shami stood out with a five-wicket haul. In response, India showed strong resistance with the bat.

See Also: WATCH: Dinesh Karthik heaps praises on Joe Root after sensational century in ongoing ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

India replied with 475, featuring centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. Chasing a target of 349 in the final innings, Kohli’s side managed to reach 252/7 before the match ended in a draw. Since that encounter in 2015, India had not allowed any team to breach the 500-run mark in an overseas Test—until now. The current game in Manchester has broken that streak, highlighting the challenges India is facing against England’s powerful batting display.

Joe Root and Ben Stokes star on dominant Day 3 of 4th Test

In the ongoing Test match against England, India posted 358 in their first innings, but the hosts responded emphatically. England's batters capitalized on a lackluster and inconsistent bowling attack that failed to maintain pressure. Joe Root and captain Ben Stokes led the charge on Day 3, forging a solid partnership of over 100 runs. Stokes retired hurt due to cramps after scoring a composed 66 off 116 deliveries. Meanwhile, Root remained steady at the crease, making the Indian bowlers toil with his fluent stroke play and impeccable shot selection.

Joe Root reached a significant milestone by scoring his 38th Test century and 12th against India, nine of which have come at home. During this knock, he also surpassed legends Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, trailing only Sachin Tendulkar. Root was eventually dismissed for a brilliant 150 off 248 balls, including 14 boundaries. Despite claiming seven wickets, India's bowling effort has lacked consistency. Notably, Stokes returned to bat after the seventh wicket fell, signaling England’s intent to push their lead further.

Joe Root once again showcased why he is regarded as one of the finest Test batters of the modern era. On Day 3 of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, the seasoned England batter delivered a masterclass with the bat, scoring a brilliant 150 off 248 deliveries. His calm and resolute knock, which included 14 fours, came at an important stage and took advantage of the excellent batting conditions and India's disappointing bowling display.

Root's innings drew a standing ovation from the whole stadium, including his teammates and many of the support staff, as he showed great leadership in England's strong reply. After India had posted 358 runs in their first innings, England finished at 544/7 at the end of day 3 to lead by 186 runs. Root's hundred had been a rock to England's innings and put them in a strong position going into the heart of Day 4 of the Test Match. Let us look at some of the records he broke during his marathon innings; 

5. Fourth most Test hundreds

Joe Root scored his 38th Test century, equaling Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara on the list of most centuries in the format. Root now stands joint-fourth in the all-time rankings, a remarkable achievement for the England star.

See Also: ENG vs IND 4th Test Day 3: Highlights and Scoreboard

Sangakkara took 134 matches and 233 innings for his 38 tons, while Root reached the milestone in 157 matches and 286 innings. Only Ricky Ponting (41), Jacques Kallis (45), and Sachin Tendulkar (51) have more Test hundreds than Root.

4. Joint most hundreds in home Tests

Joe Root has now scored 23 of his 38 Test centuries in England, joining an elite group of players with the most hundreds at home. His latest ton places him among the greatest in home conditions.

Root shares this record with Ricky Ponting (Australia), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), and Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka), each of whom also notched 23 Test centuries on their home soil.

3. Most Test hundreds against an opponent at home

Joe Root has hit nine Test centuries against India in England and has now set a new record for the most hundreds by any batter against a single opponent in home Tests, passing the iconic Sir Don Bradman who had eight hundreds against England in Australia. 

Root now has 12 Test hundreds against India overall, overtaking Steve Smith for the record against India. Only Sunil Gavaskar (13 vs West Indies) and Don Bradman (19 vs England) have more Test hundreds against a single opponent in the history of Test cricket.

2. First batter with 1000-plus Test runs at Manchester

Joe Root became the first batter to crack over 1000 Test runs at Old Trafford, Manchester. He now has a tally of 1128 runs from 12 Tests and 20 innings at the venue, with an average of 70.50, which includes two hundreds and seven fifties, creating an exceptional record at this historic venue. 

Furthermore, Root joined an exclusive list by becoming only the third England batter to accumulate 1000-plus Test runs at two different grounds. He has also joined the 1000-plus run club at Lord's, a tribute to his consistency and dominance on home soil the traditional English cricket venues.

1. Joe Root is the second-highest run-getter in Tests

Joe Root has surpassed Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting to become the second all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket history. Kallis hit 13,289 runs, while Ponting scored 13,378 runs in their careers.

Root now has 13,409 runs from 157 Tests and 286 innings, and sits at second, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, who is first with 15,921 runs via 200 Tests and 329 innings.

England’s Joe Root was at his brilliant best again on Day 3 of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Manchester. The right-handed batter scored a classy century that helped him break a world record going past the great Don Bradman. Root now has the most Test hundreds at home against a single opponent. With 9 centuries against India in England, he has moved ahead of Bradman, who had scored 8 hundreds against England in Australia.

That wasn’t all. Root also went past Ricky Ponting to become the second highest run-scorer in Test history. Earlier in the day, he had overtaken Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis in a matter of minutes. He broke Ponting’s record with a single past point, and the Old Trafford crowd stood up to applaud a historic moment. It was a special scene Root’s teammate Ben Stokes raised his bat in celebration even before Root took off his helmet to soak in the cheers.

Ponting, who was in the commentary box with Ravi Shastri, smiled and said, “Congrats, Joe Root. Magnificent,” as the England batter moved ahead of him in the all-time list. Root now has 13,379 runs in Tests, behind only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who leads with 15,921 runs. This was Root’s 38th Test century, putting him level with Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara at No. 4 on the all-time list of most hundreds in Test cricket. Only Tendulkar (51), Kallis (45), and Ponting (41) are ahead of him now.

The 34-year-old started his Test journey with a solid 73 on debut in Nagpur during England’s 2012 tour of India. Since then, he has become one of the greatest to ever play the game and he’s still going strong. Earlier in the series, Root had equalled Steve Smith’s record of 11 Test centuries against India. Now, with his latest hundred, he has made that record his own with 12 centuries against the Indian team across 34 Tests. Joe Root is not just breaking records he’s building a legacy that will be remembered for generations.

ALSO READ: Ramiz Raja Blames Batting, Not Conditions, for Pakistan’s T20 Defeats to Bangladesh

Most Runs in Men's Test Cricket

Former England captain, Joe Root brought up his 38th Test century in the ongoing fourth Test between India and England at the Old Trafford, Manchester. He not only touched a milestone, he moved closer to another milestone of breaking the record for most runs in Tests set by the legendary Indian batter, Sachin Tendulkar. 

He also challenged the record for most runs set by former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting. Ponting who was in the commentary panel was all praises for the veteran and he noted the right handed batter’s career as remarkable. It is worth noting that Ponting has scored 13,378 runs in Tests and is only second to Tendulkar in the list of top run getters in the longest format of the game. 

“Batting conditions probably won’t get any better than they are right now and they’ve got two class players at the crease (in Pope and Root). England will have gone to bed last night thinking about the possibility of only batting once in this Test match.”

See Also: 'Macha, I need some English here' - Indian batter's hilarious remark on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

“They want to bat long and get a huge first-innings total. India need to find a way early to get back into this game with early wickets, otherwise this game is slipping away very quickly. “That could very well happen today (Root passing him on all-time run-scorers list). It’s a great day for batting. What a remarkable career it has been,” said Ricky Ponting on Sky Sports’ broadcast.

As its stands out, Root did surpass the record of Ponting as he breached the 120 runs mark in the ongoing Test and the batter looked in solid form and eyeing for a lump sum score against his name. For the unversed, Sachin Tendulkar has scored 15,921 runs in his illustrious careers spanning over two decades and Root, if he keeps his form intact, can overtake the legend in achieving the rare milestone.