Smith could be the best ever: Ponting

Australia's most prolific Test century-maker Ricky Ponting says his record of 41 career hundreds is under serious threat from the nation's current batting hero, captain Steve Smith.

And he believes the 28-year-old could finish his career as one of the best, if not the best, batsman the game has ever seen.

Smith posted his 21st Test ton on Saturday, a tally he's accrued in less than four-and-a-half years and just 46 Tests having posted his first century in August, 2013.

With Smith now more than halfway to the Australian record of 41 - Indian Sachin Tendulkar holds the all-time mark of 51 Test hundreds - Ponting says he'd love to see his former teammate smash the record he built over a decorated 17-year 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. 

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

Ponting did, however, add that any comparisons between current players and genuine greats of the game comes with the caveat that longevity of success is one of the biggest challenges for any player.

"The hard thing about trying to make those sort of judgements is the longevity of the players, you just never know what's going to happen," he said.

"The thing I was most proud of in my career was my longevity. Longevity in the game allows you to achieve a lot of great things around the team, and I was able to play in 108 winning Test matches.

"That should inspire players and motivate players."

Smith's defiant century came after his side had been languishing at 4-76 late on day two and then 7-209 on Saturday. But his unbeaten 141 from more than eight hours at the crease helped his side take an unexpected and valuable 26-run lead on the first innings.

The magnitude of Smith's innings was not lost on the man himself and he made an emotional and pointed gesture towards the players' viewing areas upon reaching three figures, punching the Australian coat of arms on his Test shirt and uttering "come on" to his teammates.

Ponting said Smith's reaction was the result of two-and-a-half years of planning coming to fruition, but said his deeds with bat in hand should serve as inspiration enough to his teammates.

"That's just the emotion that comes out when you work as hard as you do and it comes off," Ponting said.

"I'm not sure he had to do that because if I was one of his teammates, I would have been inspired by what I saw. I wouldn't have needed anymore motivation or inspiration than what I had just seen unfold for the previous seven or eight hours. That would have been enough for me.

"It just goes to show his passion. He wants to be the man who stands up, he wants to lead in the best way he can and he wants to win. That attitude is infectious around the team. 

"Since the last Ashes series finished (in 2015), all he would have been thinking about would be to have an impact at the start of this next series. All his preparation, all his hard work, all his thinking has come to fruition over the 514 mins he was out there batting.

"It's fantastic to see a skipper lead from the front when the team needed him the most and that'll inspire some of the young guys in the side as well.

"To see your skipper stand up like that in a critical moment, all of those guys will learn something from it."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21