ponting vs tendulkar

This post is about these two batting greats was three years ago to the month, and it still continues to attract an audience. So, I decided it was time for an update.

Here are the current career stats for both:

	Mat	Inns	Runs	Avg	100s
Sachin Tendulkar	159	260	12773	54.58	42
Ricky Ponting	131	221	10960	56.20	37

	Matches	Runs	Batting Avg.	Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar	27	2304	51.20	7
Ricky Ponting	26	2168	49.27	6

Nearly identical stats. Both Tendulkar and Ponting struggled with injuries but are now back. There was talk 3 years ago that Tendulkar would fade away and Ponting would take over the world record for the most number of Test centuries. Neither has happened. Ponting was playing tremendously around 2005/06, but since has returned to more earthly form, allowing Tendulkar to keep pace (and even pull ever so slightly ahead).

Ponting is slightly younger than Tendulkar and hence people have been conjecturing that Ponting will be ahead when both men put their bats away. However, both might still end up playing for about the same amount of time. Tendulkar has not mentioned anything about retiring and it feels like he wants to just carry on as long as he can. 

Given that he is ahead at the moment, I would say that he’ll most likely be ahead when they both retire.We’ll have to wait a few more years to get the answer. Until then let’s enjoy the last few years of both these batsmen.

$Boopathi$, November 22, 2009