Virat Kohli was notably absent from the discussion when former Australian captain Ricky Ponting deliberated on who might be considered the "best player of this generation." The Australian cricket icon expressed his support for Steve Smith shortly after Smith achieved the significant milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket, subsequently securing his 35th century on the first day of the inaugural Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Smith's performance marked a significant occasion in Galle. By scoring a single off the first ball he faced, he became the 15th player in history to surpass the five-figure mark in Test cricket, and the fourth Australian to do so, joining the ranks of Ponting. He also became the joint second-fastest player to reach this milestone.

During the final session of the opening day, Smith notched his 35th Test century, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar on the all-time list. His innings, in conjunction with a 195-run partnership with Usman Khawaja, propelled Australia to a total of 330 for two against a lacklustre Sri Lankan team on Day 1.

In light of Smith's remarkable achievements, Ponting asserted that it is difficult to overlook the star batsman as the leading player of the current generation. However, he acknowledged that England's Joe Root is also a strong contender in this discussion.

"Is he the best player of his generation? It's hard to argue against it. Joe Root is another name that comes to mind, and [Kane] Williamson's record is impressive as well. Joe's performances over the last couple of years have certainly brought him back into the conversation," Ponting was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald.

'5-6 years ago, Kohli was among them'

Until 2020, the former captain of India was at the forefront of the Fab Four regarding the number of centuries scored, amassing a total of 27 centuries—one more than Steve Smith and six more than Kane Williamson, while Joe Root trailed with only 17 centuries. However, in the subsequent four years, Root experienced a remarkable surge in form in the traditional format, accumulating 19 centuries during this time, which elevated him to the top of the list. His current total of 36 centuries surpasses Smith by one and Williamson by three, while Kohli has fallen to the last position, having secured only three centuries in the past four years.

"Five or six years ago, when this elite group emerged, with Virat Kohli included, Joe was likely positioned near the bottom because he had not achieved the same number of centuries as the others. However, he has since scored 19 centuries in the last four years," he remarked.

"If you were to ask an Englishman, they would likely say Joe Root; an Australian would point to Steve Smith, and a New Zealander would mention Kane Williamson. It is a challenging comparison, but based on the statistics, it is difficult to dispute Root's accomplishments," Ponting stated.

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