Glenn McGrath Ignites Ricky Ponting v Sachin Tendulkar Debate even as Kallis Equals Punter

Glenn McGrath spoke on the sidelines of the McGrath Foundation that celebrates the Pink Test through the SCG Test of the Ashes 2010. However, the McGrath was hard to miss in his talk as he brought to the fore the battle of the game's leading run scorers.

glenn mcgrath with kevin pietersen

McGrath's talk may seem a little ambitious. But it has to be said that as a former team mate, McGrath has perhaps seen the determination in Ricky Ponting closer than anyone else has. It is perhaps why he is backing the punter against Sachin Tendulkar even as South Africa's Jacques Kallis has entered the ring of Test centuries.

Kallis, the world's leading all rounder amongst his contemporaries, has just equalled the Australian captain on the most number of Test centuries - thirty-nine. However, McGrath has his eyes set on a bigger man for the game.

Sachin Tendulkar had a phenomenal 2010, setting the pace and scoring the highest number of runs to draw further away from Ponting to now leave a gap of about 2000 runs. With Ponting down on form and struggling as the captain of a team in turmoil, Tendulkar is expected to steer further away from the pack even as Ponting continues to fight his detractors who believe his time may be up.

However, McGrath believes Ponting has the tenacity to bounce back and in doing so, will overhaul Tendulkar's run making records. The former Australian fast bowler does not believe Tendulkar will pull away too much from Ponting eventually. But unless Tendulkar hangs up his boots anytime soon, it will be hard to imagine Ponting making a dash in the real sense for the record making spree of the Little Maestro.

For his part, Ponting continues to reiterate that the hunger in him is as strong as ever both, as a batsman and as captain. All he needs is a little bit of luck going his way perhaps...