Former Australia captain and Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has come out strongly in support of Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He also wants them to continue playing for years to come. Speaking during The Indian Express’s Idea Exchange, Ponting shared his thoughts on how great players navigate through tough phases and why it's never wise to write them off. Ponting was responding to a question about knowing when a player's time is up, particularly in the Indian context, where senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are always under the radar. To answer that, Ponting first recalled a heartfelt interaction he had with Rahul Dravid during their playing days. "It was a series against us. We could all see he was battling, and there was a lot of media talk, and it was all wearing him[Dravid] down. Rahul and I have always got along really well. I just had a chat with him and said, ‘Look, forget about all the external stuff, believe in yourself, and go back to the things that have made you a good player. If you focus on that and not worry about the little things, I am sure you can finish off your career on a strong note.’ That’s all I said." Ponting also revealed that Dravid repaid the favour by reminding him about the text when things weren't going well for the former Australian captain. "He went away and did that and guess what? When I was at the end of my career, I got the same message back from him. He was the first on the phone and made me aware of the things I had said to him." Also Read: 'He is still dangerous in the IPL': Ricky Ponting backs MS Dhoni 'Virat is the best white-ball player ever' Ricky Ponting then spoke about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have both faced intense media and public scrutiny, especially after India’s loss to Australia in the recent Test series. Ponting believes class never disappears and that both Kohli and Rohit still have a lot to offer, especially in the ODIs. "I have been on record about Virat to say: ‘You can’t write off quality players’. They’re champions for a reason and always find a way to come good. Different times in the last couple of years, Virat has been able to do that when he is getting in a hole. He is a high-quality player, and maybe Rohit is a bit the same. Test cricket is the thing that is becoming harder for them right now. Rohit has made it clear he’s going nowhere in the 50-over game. Virat is the best white-ball player ever." He also mentioned that he would never write them off and wanted them to play the game for many years to come. "I will never write those guys off. I love those guys when they play international cricket, and hopefully, they can play for years to come," he said. Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be in action on Monday as Mumbai Indians take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Wankhede Stadium.