PONTING: SMITH COULD BE THE BEST EVER

Australia's captain extends his lead at the top of the Test batting rankings and gets high praise from Punter

Ricky Ponting has suggested that Steven Smith could go on to become the best batsman in cricket history.

Smith's defiant and unbeaten century laid the platform for Australia's victory over England in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane earlier this week.

The ton was the captain's 21st in just 57 matches for his country and he is now more than halfway to Ponting's all-time Australian record of 41.

Ponting lauded his successor with high praise when asked whether his record was in danger, and went so far as to suggest he could out-rank some of the all-time greats come the end of his career.

"Hopefully it's in danger, I'd love to see that," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"If he keeps going like he is, he's going to catch me in four or five years. It's well and truly in danger. 

^{Steven Smith celebrates reaching his century against England}

"What we're seeing is potentially one of, if not the best batsman that the game has ever seen."

Smith's 141 not out at the Gabba has seen him extend his lead at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings.

Smith has moved to 941 ranking points, the equal fifth-highest of all time alongside Peter May. It is the second time in his career that he has hit that mark.

Only Sir Donald Bradman (961), Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs (942) and Ponting (942) having achieved higher scores.

Smith is 53 points above Cheteshwar Pujara, with England captain Joe Root, New Zealand's Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli completing the top five.

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