Mike Gatting, the former England captain, has suggested the out-of-form Australian skipper Ricky Ponting to step down from his captaincy role to focus on his individual performance as a prolific batsman.
"If you took the captaincy off him, or he walks, Ricky might be a better player without having to worry about the trials and tribulations of a captain," a leading newspaper has quoted Gatting saying. "All of a sudden, that might re-invent
Ricky Ponting for three or four years which would be great for Australian cricket,” he added.
The 53-year-old said that the promising batsman can reignite himself by giving up the captaincy role adding further that the Cricket Australia management should decide what to do with the out of form captain and what is necessary for them
– Ponting as a captain or as a batting force.
Gatting, who was led the England side that lifted the Ashes urn in Australia twenty four years ago – in 1986-87 Ashes series – said that the Australian cricket is in a ‘mess’ these days. He also conceded that the Aussies do not have too
many options to replace Ponting as captain.
"It says a bit about why http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120," said Gatting.
Tasmanian Ponting, with 39 centuries and 56 half-centuries in his career from 150 Test matches, has scored only one century in his last 33 Tests. And in the ongoing Ashes series, which Australia is trailing by 0-1 after losing the second
Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, he has scored just 70 runs from four innings at an average of 23.33.
But the thing that must be kept in mind while Gatting is suggesting Ponting to step down captaincy and play as a batsman is that in the past Australian captains like Allan Border, Mark http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 and Steve Waugh, were never seen making Test
squads for Australia after leaving the leadership position.
Tags: