Ricky Ponting may have just joined both Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar in Test cricket's elite 10,000 run club, but according to former English batsman Geoff Boycott, the Australian Test skipper is not in the same league as his fellow modern-day greats.
Ponting became just the seventh player all time to pass 10,000 Test runs during the second Test against the West Indies in Antigua.
He was also just the fourth player -- along with recently retired West Indian Lara, and Indian duo Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid -- to reach 10,000 runs in both Test and one-day international cricket.
But Boycott has told Cricinfo while he considers Ponting the world's best batsman at present, he had not reached the all-time status enjoyed by Lara and Tendulkar.
"Ponting ... is a top-class player and I think most people would vote him as the best player over the last couple of years," said Boycott, one of four England players to score over 8,000 Test runs.
"But Lara and Tendulkar are iconic figures, which is about more than being just a terrific player.
"They have captured the imagination of the public.
"They haven't just scored runs: Lara twice got the record of most Test runs and he still holds the record of the highest score in Test cricket. Those are huge figures. And the way he bats is just very special.
"Sachin is technically correct against all kinds of bowlers and the way he took Shane Warne apart when he came to India makes him more than just a terrific player.
"Sorry, I don't think Ponting is in the same league as Lara or Tendulkar."
