Virat Kohli is superstar: Ricky Ponting explains India star’s magnetic pull in Australia

Australia legend Ricky Ponting has explained Virat Kohli’s special connection with Australian crowd and media as the India star gears up for probably his last tour Down Under. Ponting noted that Kohli’s consistent brilliance, passion, and fierce competitiveness have earned him an enduring respect from Australian fans and media alike. Kohli’s Test record in Australia is extraordinary, with 1,352 runs in 25 innings at an impressive average of 54.08, including six centuries. His leadership during the 2018/19 series, where he guided India to their first-ever Test series victory on Australian soil, stands as a defining moment in his illustrious career, cementing his legacy as one of cricket’s greatest icons

The former Australian captain shared his admiration for Kohli’s exceptional record in Australia and his larger-than-life presence in the cricketing world. “Kohli is a star,” Ponting said on the most recent episode of The ICC Review. “You talk about the media here and the following that Virat has in Australia. That’s on the back of having been here and played well in the past,” said Ponting.

Ponting credited Kohli’s success in Australia to his ability to thrive under intense scrutiny. “He has been here and played well in the past, and that’s what builds the following he enjoys,” Ponting said. Ponting also compared Kohli’s reception in Australia to the hostility other players experience abroad: “You think about other players like when Steve Smith goes to the UK (United Kingdom) and gets booed when he walks onto the ground. I mean, that’s all part of, I guess, the theatre that comes with international sports.”

Reflecting on Kohli’s leadership, Ponting highlighted how the former Indian skipper shoulders immense responsibility during challenging tours. He recalled Ravi Shastri’s comments about Kohli’s willingness to take “all the bullets” for his team during past Australian tours. “I had a look at what Ravi (Shastri) had to say about being the man that wanted to take all the bullets in Australia last time,” Ponting recalls, referencing Kohli’s previous tours to Australia. “And that’s what you expect from your leaders and your star players.”

“When you travel abroad, and you know that the country’s against you, and you know the home media’s against you, you need to have your senior players stand up and be the protectors, if you like, of the younger players in that side,” Ponting added.

Ponting lauded Kohli for playing with his heart on his sleeve and being a source of inspiration for his teammates. “He’s a superstar, and he’s been one for so long. His passion for his team and for winning is evident in everything he does.”

As India prepares for another Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, Ponting stressed the importance of leadership from Kohli and other senior players like Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.

“I have no doubt that Kohli, Rohit, and Bumrah will approach this tour with the same mindset. Senior players must lead the way in such high-pressure series,” he said.

Ponting expects the upcoming series to be fiercely contested, describing it as a rivalry that transcends cricket. “India versus Australia in Test cricket is now as big a rivalry as there is in world sport,” Ponting remarked.

He anticipates a series played “on the edge,” with neither side willing to concede an inch. “These five Test matches will be about winning every single contest, and that’s what makes this rivalry so special.”