Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, two legendary cricketers, have left an indelible mark on the sport. With Tendulkar’s remarkable 100 centuries and Ponting’s three World Cup victories as captain, they have not only elevated the game but also transformed Test cricket through their aggressive strokeplay, creating an exhilarating rivalry between their respective nations.

During an interaction on Star Sports, Ricky Ponting was asked by expert analyst Harsha Bhogle about who made Test cricket famous in their era. Ponting attributed the credit to the star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and the all-rounder Jacques Kallis.

“As players, we may not think about it much, but the public probably does. When I was coming through, everyone was chasing Sachin. Sachin was the leader of the pack by a fair margin because of his overall Test match batting technique. It made him stand out more than most, not just in India but in every country he played in,” Ricky Ponting acknowledged.

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“Jacques Kallis is probably the other one you can put into the group. Look at his batting numbers, with 45 Test hundreds and 300 wickets. Either one of those is a good career, let alone being able to do both,” he added, highlighting Kallis’ exceptional achievements.

Ponting expressed his optimism that Test cricket will continue to thrive despite the changing landscape of the sport.

“I think countries that are struggling at times need that one shining light. They need that one hero to make the game cool again, to make kids want to go out and play the game again,” Ricky Ponting remarked. He also mentioned the impact of Brian Lara’s retirement on West Indies cricket, noting a decline in interest when their star player was no longer present.

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“We’re lucky that all the players you mentioned, both from the current group and the group I played in, led from the front. They set the example for the younger generation of players to come through,” Ricky Ponting concluded, recognizing the leadership and influence of the players in shaping the future of the game.