Australian captain Ricky Ponting under fire as Ashes Test approaches in Brisbane
With England looking like a favourite for the Ashes opening match with Australia in Brisbane this Thursday, the pressure is on for Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
When most of his original players moved on within his first two years as captain, Ponting went from being the captain of a team with a historic track record, to the coach of a new team, which includes players who have yet to prove themselves at the Ashes.
Former cricketer Mike Gatting, who was credited with England’s 1986 victory over Australia, said that Ponting should be judged by the quality of his leadership as it compares to the quality of his players, “Let's be honest, Ricky's had some wonderful players
at his fingertips," he said.
He went on to speculate that with so many star players on his original team, Ponting should be preforming better.
"If you've got a (Shane) Warne and a (Glenn) McGrath in your side you don't have to tell them what to do because they are very good professionals who love winning and want their country to win. You shouldn't have to do too much to get them worked up.”
Former fast bowlers Jeff Thompson and Geoff Lawson have suggested that Pointing should have been replaced by Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750.
On the other hand former South Australian skipper Ian Chappell believes that Ponting is holding up well under the circumstances.
"Ricky Ponting is a good captain," Chappell told reporters. "I've not seen a day's play with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 where I've looked out there and felt the team hasn't been pulling as one. I've never seen that happen under Ricky Ponting's captaincy. The day that happens
is the day you know you've got a problem and that's when you've got to go."
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