Ricky Ponting; a Victorious Cricket Captain
The most victorious cricket captain Ricky Ponting is having his rough run these days. England team has given him a pretty tough time over the past few months. Recently he lost three games in trot to Strauss, in the NatWest series, though he managed to restore a little pride after clinching 72 runs victory over the hosts in the 4th ODI at Oval ground.
If the situation prevailed, Ricky Ponting can expect the end of his reign as Australian Skipper. 2010-11 Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) can be a last chance for 35 years old Ponting to save his captaincy. Ponting as captain lost the 2005 and 2009 Ashes in England. After Billy Murdoch, Ponting is the ever first Australian captain who lost two consecutive Ashes series. again it was Ricky Ponting leading the team when, in 2007, Australia faced a 5-0 whitewash at its home grounds.
Even though he is one of the all-time greats of cricket with the bat, his future as captain as well as in cricket is contingent with the result of the 2010-11 series and he is well aware of the situation. Talking to a media reporter Ponting said, “I'd probably be looking for a new job if we lose again. It's as simple as that. I've got the biggest eight months of my career coming up".
Ponting has got a busy schedule ahead. Ponting’s men will play two-Test series against Pakistan followed by a test series against India before the Ashes series kicks offs in November at the Gabba. Ashes followed by the 2011 World Cup in February next year.
"It doesn't get any bigger than that and everything I do between now and April will be geared at getting the most out of myself and, most importantly the group," he said. "If I'm able to do that I think there are some pretty special things on the horizon for this team".
With the Ashes being his future decider, Ponting said the significance of the contest did not weigh him down. He said that he is not at all feeling some added pressure on him. He further added that all that he has in his mind is just to be the best player that he was sure he can be. He wants to put a significant impact on the coming Ashes, both as a leader of the team and as a batsman. He said that he knows what is required to be a successful player in a big tournament how does it impact the performance of the rest of the guys.
Ponting holds various captaincy records in international cricket. He is the most victorious ODI as well as Test captain. He has led Aussies in 221 ODIs and remained triumphant in 158. Kangaroos were led by the swashbuckling Ponting in 69 tests and remained victorious in 46. Australia under his captaincy clinched 16 consecutive test victories, the maximum number so far. He also holds the record of highest victory rate of 75.74 in more than 20 matches. He shares the record of winning maximum World Cups as captain with Clive Lloyd and remained undefeated captain 23 world cup matches, the only captain till date.
England has thwarted the Kangaroos in all the three formats of cricket over the past year. They started with a test victory, a victorious Ashes series at The Oval ground, followed by a T20 win in the final of 2010 T20 World Cup and now they have mauled mighty Aussies in the current one-day series, the NatWest series.
Ponting admired the efforts of English side and said that they have deserved the recent accomplishment but refused to accept that they have earned bragging rights across all the three formats of cricket.
"We're still ranked the best side in one-day cricket and No. 2 in Test cricket," Ponting said. "Until England gets their heads above us in all of the tables, then superiority will be with us."
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