I've never been a massive fan of Ricky Ponting. I've often found him arrogant and, well, Australian. The person leaves much to be desired, but as a player, I've always respected his contribution to the game, and appreciated his quality. Recently though, I've had to review my opinion of the 'person'.
He was stripped of the captaincy to give way for a fresher Michael Clarke, and at the ripe old age of 36, he was all but done. My respect for the person soared though, as he vowed to play on. Australia were undoubtly in a transition period, but a couple of experienced players remaining in the side was vital in forming that transitional bridge. Mike Hussey is one of them, and looks as ambitious and spritely as he did seven or so years ago when his international career took off. Ricky is the other, and many before him would have just settled into retirement. Captaincy over, job done. Thanks ACB, here's my baggy green. But Ponting doesn't know when he's beaten, and he carried on. Furthermore, he's been brilliant with the bat in tests. In the recent series against India, he scored 3 fifties, 1 hundred and a double hundred in six innings. To carry on in such fashion after losing the captaincy with his career hanging by a thread, is admirable.
Contrary to his performances in the tests, he's been woeful in the one day CB Series. But that hasn't weakened my respect for him, it's perhaps even grown. With an injury to Michael Clarke, Ponting captained the side against Sri Lanka. It was almost given to David Warner, the vice-captain, but after a discussion with the board, Ponting took up the responsibility. For me, this was a sign of trying to offer his experience, rather than disrupting the future of the side. Warner is nowhere near ready for captaincy. He's still new to the game, and is yet to have made an impact for Australia in ODI's. Look up his stats and you will be surprised to find that he averages a mere 21. Ricky Ponting's highest score in the five innings he's played in this series is 7. Consequently now, he's been dropped. Ponting probably deserved to be dropped. Anyone's position in the side would be under scrutiny with performances like that. His last game as a captain was a winning one though.
The irony is that he hasn't officially retired from ODI's. The door's always open as far as he's concerned. But at 37, he will continue to battle on in the test arena, and deservedly so.
He was stripped of the captaincy to give way for a fresher Michael Clarke, and at the ripe old age of 36, he was all but done. My respect for the person soared though, as he vowed to play on. Australia were undoubtly in a transition period, but a couple of experienced players remaining in the side was vital in forming that transitional bridge. Mike Hussey is one of them, and looks as ambitious and spritely as he did seven or so years ago when his international career took off. Ricky is the other, and many before him would have just settled into retirement. Captaincy over, job done. Thanks ACB, here's my baggy green. But Ponting doesn't know when he's beaten, and he carried on. Furthermore, he's been brilliant with the bat in tests. In the recent series against India, he scored 3 fifties, 1 hundred and a double hundred in six innings. To carry on in such fashion after losing the captaincy with his career hanging by a thread, is admirable.
Contrary to his performances in the tests, he's been woeful in the one day CB Series. But that hasn't weakened my respect for him, it's perhaps even grown. With an injury to Michael Clarke, Ponting captained the side against Sri Lanka. It was almost given to David Warner, the vice-captain, but after a discussion with the board, Ponting took up the responsibility. For me, this was a sign of trying to offer his experience, rather than disrupting the future of the side. Warner is nowhere near ready for captaincy. He's still new to the game, and is yet to have made an impact for Australia in ODI's. Look up his stats and you will be surprised to find that he averages a mere 21. Ricky Ponting's highest score in the five innings he's played in this series is 7. Consequently now, he's been dropped. Ponting probably deserved to be dropped. Anyone's position in the side would be under scrutiny with performances like that. His last game as a captain was a winning one though.
The irony is that he hasn't officially retired from ODI's. The door's always open as far as he's concerned. But at 37, he will continue to battle on in the test arena, and deservedly so.
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