Ricky Ponting, the most successful captain
Ricky Ponting is regarded as one of the greatest batsman the world has ever seen. Australians consider him the best Australian batsman, since Don Bradman.
He is the most successful Australian batsman, statistically. He is the second highest run getter in both the longer versions of the game. He has scored 12,026 runs in Test cricket, and has gathered 13, 072 runs in ODI cricket.
The Australian master is the second on the list of leading century makers. He has an amazing tally of 39 centuries in Test matches and 29 in ODIs.
It is not only his batting accolades that he is known for. History will remember him as the most successful captain the world has ever seen. He went passed Steve Waugh’s record of 41 Test wins as a captain, in 2009/10 Boxing Day Test match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755.
He has 45 Test wins to his name.
His captaincy has come under scrutiny, regardless of all his achievements. He is the only Australian captain to have lost two Ashes series in a row in England. Previously, this feat was only achieved by the former Australian captain, Bill Murdoch. He achieved
it in the 19th century.
The Australian legend landed on English soil in 2005, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 not having lost an Ashes series for 18 years. This was Australia’s first Ashes stint under the leadership of Ricky Ponting. The critics thought that Australia will whitewash England 5-0
in the series. It went the other way round and England came up as victors of the Ashes in 2005.
In 2009 he travelled to Britain to defend his Ashes title. This time around he didn’t have the services of his legendary bowlers, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Australia had a new bowling attack with the likes of, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Mitchell
Johnson and Nathan Hauritz. An Ashes defeat was always on the cards. Australia lost 2-1 to England. Ponting lost his second Ashes series in a row in England.
The critics have made an interesting point about Ricky Ponting's captaincy. He is a captain that has been supported by great players like, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Lee-c72382 and Mathew Hayden. So it is not
his great captaincy skills that have won him cricket matches out of nowhere, but due to some incredible performances from his star players.
He has been criticized by many Australian former players for his on field tactics. Often, his field placing and bowling changes have been criticized. He can easily go on the defensive when an opposition batsman is in full flow.
In the later part of 2008, he became the first Australian captain to lose a Test series at home in 16 years. In doing so, he became the first captain to lose a series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 at home. This was South Africa’s first ever Test series win in Australia,
there first in 38 years, and first since re-admission into international cricket.
His reign included many incredible wins in both forms of the game. Australia have won ICC Champions trophy twice in Ponting’s tenure. That happened in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in 2006, and South Africa in 2009.
Australia whitewashed England 5-0 in the Ashes, in 2006/07 under his captaincy. He set the tone of the series with his scores of 196 in the first Test at Brisbane and 148 in the second Test at the Adelaide.
The great Australian captain has played 71 Test matches as a captain. He has scored 6205 runs at an average of 53 with 19 centuries. He has played 220 ODIs as a captain, scoring 8272 runs at an average of 43 with 21 centuries.
Ricky hasn’t lost a World Cup match as captain. He has featured in 22 matches as a captain in World Cups. He has led Australia to two World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. Nobody can forget his unbeaten 140 in the 2003 World Cup final, at Johannesburg.
In World Cups that he played as a captain, he had the support of players like, McGrath, Lee, Gilchrist, Hogg, and Hayden. Now, with all them retired, it will be a big challenge for Ricky Ponting to lead his young side, that includes talented players like,
Steve Smith, Tim Paine, Shaun Marsh, Dan Christian and Peter George, in the 2011 World Cup.
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