Ricky Ponting rates Jacques Kallis as the greatest cricketer of all time

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has named former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis as the greatest cricketer to ever play the game.

Kallis, over the course of 166 Test matches, accumulated 13,289 runs at an impressive average of 55.37, including 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries. He also claimed 292 wickets at an average of 32.65.

Speaking on The Howie Games podcast on YouTube, Ponting declared, "Jacques Kallis is the greatest cricketer of all time. I don't care about anyone else."

"He's the full stop for me. Thirteen thousand runs, 44 or 45 Test centuries, and 300 wickets - what an incredible career. You can take 300 wickets or score 45 Test centuries, but to do both simultaneously is remarkable. Jacques has achieved both."

Ponting also highlighted Kallis' skills as a fielder, noting his excellence in the slip cordon. "He had a unique technique in the slips, but he didn't drop a thing. He caught everything."

Ponting, who scored 13,378 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 51.85, observed that Kallis may not have received as much recognition as players like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, attributing it to Kallis' personality off the field.

"I think he's the best and also the most underrated," Ponting said. "He doesn't get talked about enough, probably because of his character and personality. He keeps a low profile and hasn't been heavily involved in media work, so he tends to be overlooked a bit."

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