Ricky Ponting, the most uncompromising player of his generation, grew into Australia's most successful run-maker and only sits below Bradman in the country's overall ratings. It takes an extremely critical eye to diminish his run-scoring achievements, which seem to collect new records in every series. Like spotting a celebrity, it's necessary to look twice when analysing Ponting, first as the archetypal modern batsman, then as the country's 42nd Test captain. There is no doubt about his greatness after taking guard, but his leadership has been under scrutiny for much of his reign. While his blade has sparkled, his stewardship is pock-marked by two Ashes defeats in England, the first since Billy Murdoch in the 19th century to achieve the feat, and stumbles to South Africa and India.
Those results haven't stopped him from becoming the most successful captain in Test history after passing Steve Waugh's 41 wins in the 2009-10 Boxing Day Test. In the same match he overtook Shane Warne's 92 victories as the most by an individual, and he has never lost a World Cup game. For the first three years of his reign he was in charge of a superstar unit and did not have to decide much tactically, but once that group headed for retirement he had to change from a manager to moulder.
As a batsman the only debate is where to rank him in the high reaches of the game's greatest run-makers. Acclaimed by Academy coach Rod Marsh as the best teenage batsman he had ever seen, Ponting began with Tasmania at 17 and Australia at 20, and was given out unluckily for 96 on his Test debut. There were some teething problems, including a public admission of an alcohol problem, but the longer he went on the more he matured, building up records and runs.
He plays all the shots with a full flourish of the bat - the cover drive and the pull are particularly productive methods - and knows only to attack. His breathtaking, dead-eye fielding is a force in the game by itself. Only Sachin Tendulkar has more centuries in Tests and ODIs than Ponting, who is a natural in the game's traditional forms, but resistant to the perks of Twenty20, which he retired from in 2009. There have been setbacks against probing seam attacks, high-class finger-spin and, latterly, short balls, which he insists are meant to be pulled or hooked. These will be minor matters whenever he retires.
Those results haven't stopped him from becoming the most successful captain in Test history after passing Steve Waugh's 41 wins in the 2009-10 Boxing Day Test. In the same match he overtook Shane Warne's 92 victories as the most by an individual, and he has never lost a World Cup game. For the first three years of his reign he was in charge of a superstar unit and did not have to decide much tactically, but once that group headed for retirement he had to change from a manager to moulder.
As a batsman the only debate is where to rank him in the high reaches of the game's greatest run-makers. Acclaimed by Academy coach Rod Marsh as the best teenage batsman he had ever seen, Ponting began with Tasmania at 17 and Australia at 20, and was given out unluckily for 96 on his Test debut. There were some teething problems, including a public admission of an alcohol problem, but the longer he went on the more he matured, building up records and runs.
He plays all the shots with a full flourish of the bat - the cover drive and the pull are particularly productive methods - and knows only to attack. His breathtaking, dead-eye fielding is a force in the game by itself. Only Sachin Tendulkar has more centuries in Tests and ODIs than Ponting, who is a natural in the game's traditional forms, but resistant to the perks of Twenty20, which he retired from in 2009. There have been setbacks against probing seam attacks, high-class finger-spin and, latterly, short balls, which he insists are meant to be pulled or hooked. These will be minor matters whenever he retires.
Full name Ricky Thomas Ponting
Born December 19, 1974, Launceston, Tasmania
Current age 35 years 350 days
Major teams Australia, ICC World XI, Kolkata Knight Riders, Somerset, Tasmania
Nickname Punter
Playing role Top order batsman
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Height 1.78 m
Education Mowbray Primary; Brooks Senior High School, Launceston
Relation Uncle - GD Campbell
Born December 19, 1974, Launceston, Tasmania
Current age 35 years 350 days
Major teams Australia, ICC World XI, Kolkata Knight Riders, Somerset, Tasmania
Nickname Punter
Playing role Top order batsman
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Height 1.78 m
Education Mowbray Primary; Brooks Senior High School, Launceston
Relation Uncle - GD Campbell
Batting and fielding averages
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 149 253 28 12311 257 54.71 20677 59.53 39 56 1397 72 175 0
ODIs 352 343 37 13082 164 42.75 16226 80.62 29 79 1166 157 152 0
T20Is 17 16 2 401 98* 28.64 302 132.78 0 2 41 11 8 0
First-class 252 430 55 21280 257 56.74 73 94 267 0
List A 424 415 50 15438 164 42.29 33 94 184 0
Twenty20 22 21 2 460 98* 24.21 375 122.66 0 2 44 13 10 0
Bowling averages
Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10
Tests 149 30 539 242 5 1/0 1/0 48.40 2.69 107.8 0 0 0
ODIs 352 5 150 104 3 1/12 1/12 34.66 4.16 50.0 0 0 0
T20Is 17 - - - - - - - - - - - -
First-class 252 1434 768 14 2/10 54.85 3.21 102.4 0 0
List A 424 349 269 8 3/34 3/34 33.62 4.62 43.6 0 0 0
Twenty20 22 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Career statistics
Test debut Australia v Sri Lanka at Perth, Dec 8-11, 1995
Last Test Australia v England at Brisbane, Nov 25-29, 2010
ODI debut Australia v South Africa at Wellington, Feb 15, 1995
Last ODI Australia v Sri Lanka at Sydney, Nov 5, 2010
T20I debut New Zealand v Australia at Auckland, Feb 17, 2005
Last T20I Australia v Sri Lanka at Nottingham, Jun 8, 2009
Test debut Australia v Sri Lanka at Perth, Dec 8-11, 1995
Last Test Australia v England at Brisbane, Nov 25-29, 2010
ODI debut Australia v South Africa at Wellington, Feb 15, 1995
Last ODI Australia v Sri Lanka at Sydney, Nov 5, 2010
T20I debut New Zealand v Australia at Auckland, Feb 17, 2005
Last T20I Australia v Sri Lanka at Nottingham, Jun 8, 2009
First-class debut 1992/93
Last First-class Australia v England at Brisbane, Nov 25-29, 2010
List A debut 1992/93
Last List A Australia v Sri Lanka at Sydney, Nov 5, 2010
Twenty20 debut Somerset v Northamptonshire at Taunton, Jul 15, 2004
Last Twenty20 Australia v Sri Lanka at Nottingham, Jun 8, 2009
Last First-class Australia v England at Brisbane, Nov 25-29, 2010
List A debut 1992/93
Last List A Australia v Sri Lanka at Sydney, Nov 5, 2010
Twenty20 debut Somerset v Northamptonshire at Taunton, Jul 15, 2004
Last Twenty20 Australia v Sri Lanka at Nottingham, Jun 8, 2009
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