Time for Ricky Ponting to pull up stumps on Test career
Roar Guru By shanebrien, 14 May 2012 shanebrien is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, International Cricket, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket
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Players realise there is huge amount of money to be earned in cricket and with the booming success of the IPL, the opportunities to play on make the decision to give the game away a lot harder than in recent years.
Past players found it somewhat easier to walk away from the game. While you still gave up a little bit of fame, cricket did not always pay the mortgage or ensure life away from the game would be easy.
The financial opportunities the game now provides for players around the world leave many to believe they still have something to offer.
It is only the brave and the appeased who know when to go, but whose decision is it?
Giving up a sport might seem trivial compared to everyday life decisions, but for those who play, and know nothing else, saying goodbye is an almost impossibly difficult task when the game has been their way of life for many years.
The game of cricket has defined many a player, but it also has blinded some to the existence of another world, one of which they must now be a part.
I have often wondered what the likes of a Ponting or a Tendulker would do in retirement. I have no clue, and I suspect neither do they.
I’m sure the opportunities will be endless, but they won’t compare to walking out to bat in a packed stadium. After spending most of your life as a professional cricketer, I can’t imagine what it is like walk away from a game that has given so much.
I often hear people saying that a particular player has earned the right to decide when to give the game away.
The likes of a Ponting, Tendulker or Warne have contributed enough so they should be the ones to decide when to walk away. Of course they haven’t. Nobody is bigger than the game.
Professional sport is a results driven business. Age is no barrier but whether or not a player is still capable of playing at their best, at the highest level, must be left to someone else.
Ricky Ponting is a good example. You would be hard pressed to find players who prepare themselves as well as Ricky does. This type of dedication has helped prolong his career to this point.
He has such a strong competitive drive, I can’t imagine him ever uttering the words “I’m retiring from international cricket”. A perfect example of this was during a press conference regarding Ricky’s future in the one day arena.
At no point did Ricky say, “I’m retiring”. He simply could not bring himself to declare those words.
I would like to see him go out on top, not pushed like he has been from the one-day squad but it was more than likely Ponting’s stubborn streak – that competitive drive which has seen him succeed in the past – which has now led him to play on.
The challenge of proving people wrong seemingly gave the former skipper a second wind. Having failed in the West Indies, the pressure is once again back on Punter. Will he be able to rise once again and prove the doubters, like me, wrong?
Honestly, I think he should have retired from international cricket and I think the selectors have failed Ricky and the game by allowing him to play on.
The Ashes journey begins
The Australian cricket team have left Australia to begin their tour of England, with a mission to reclaim the Ashes.
Australian captain Michael Clarke and his teammates were optimistic about their chances before jetting off.
Click here to hear the thoughts of our Australian cricket team as they left for England.
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May 14th 2012 @ 9:31am
Nate Hornblower said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:31am | Report comment
blah blah blah…..your beating a dead horse
May 14th 2012 @ 10:03am
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Dead horse is dead.
Anyone who thinks Ricky Ponting hasn’t been planning life after retirement in terms of fiances is kidding themselves. I don’t think he is going to be short of a dollar that it that way.
From what I gather, post-retirement Ricky Ponting will be doing work with his charity, the Ponting Foundation, in much the same way as Glenn McGrath and the McGrath foundation.
Ricky Ponting loves the game of cricket, what is so hard about that to understand? Clearly, he wants another shot at England, whether or not you agree with that is irrelevant. He is prepared to put his best effort into making the Ashes squad on merit, as are most other players in Australia.
Ponting hasn’t picked up a bat for weeks, surly there is something else we can talk about? White’s form resurgence in the IPL, Clarke’s poor T20 form, Australia’s potential new bowling coach?
May 14th 2012 @ 11:29am
Disco said | May 14th 2012 @ 11:29am | Report comment
Punter’s married, so probably not in need of any fiances. That said, I suspect an inability to picture himself being anything other than an international cricketer has contributed to his stubborness to hang on in spite a severe decline as a player in recent years; one which has harmed the team.
Unless he fires against SA, he’ll only play on further because the selectors haven’t the balls to drop him.
May 14th 2012 @ 5:02pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
You are living in a dream world if you if you think Ponting and his management haven’t thought of his life beyond cricket. I remember reading about him talking about it back in 2003 – nearly 10 years ago.
Blind freddy can see that Ponting is trying to make it to another Ashes series.
Money doesn’t come into it – he could probably make more playing in T20 leagues then he could on his reduced contract now that his not playing ODI cricket.
Ponting’s decline has harmed the team – you are right about that. But only because our fortunes over the last several years have largely rode on Ponting’s form.
May 14th 2012 @ 7:32pm
Disco said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:32pm | Report comment
That doesn’t mean Ponting isn’t excessively reluctant to give up the only career his ever known.
Do you actually think it/s best for the team that Ponting plays on until he deems that career is over?
May 14th 2012 @ 9:23pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
What is best for the team is that the best players are selected, on merit, not potential or age.
In my mind, Ponting is one of the best 6 batsmen in first class cricket at the moment. As much could be said when Ponting did go back to Sheffield Cricket and smashed two back to back tons.
Ponting is clearly going to put his hand up for selection in the summer for test cricket. It is not his job to select the team – it is the selectors’ job.
You are kidding yourself if you think Ponting has his spot gold plated in stone – that is just false.
The real thing harming Australian cricket is the fact that there are no younger batsmen putting runs on the board at shield cricket and demanding selection.
This idea that Ponting should fall on his sword for a great good is just emotional clap trap. He doesnt pick the side.
May 14th 2012 @ 11:43am
Pope Paul VII said | May 14th 2012 @ 11:43am | Report comment
Ditto Disco
May 14th 2012 @ 1:23pm
Winston said | May 14th 2012 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
Perhaps the title of this article should be “Why old players don’t retire” rather than the current one. You have said nothing about why you think Ponting should retire.
May 14th 2012 @ 2:24pm
Rhys said | May 14th 2012 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
Ponting bought himself some time with his runs against India. He had modest returns against the Windies, but wasn’t alone in that. I’d prefer to see him go out on top, but maybe that will come to fruition in an Ashes winning team.
If Clarke captains Australia to an Ashes tour win I wonder if there’ll be a small pang of discomfort in Ponting’s heart, to witness first hand Clarke achieve something that Ponting himself could not. Despite all his achievements in the game, as both batsman and captain, that one gap in his CV must eat away at him in the quieter moments.
Ponting will come at this next international summer on the back of almost six months away from the game, and a handful of first class matches. It’s a preparation Ponting hasn’t experienced, and he himself has expressed a lack of certainty on how it might impact his game at Test level.
From this point on Ponting’s tenure should be looked at on a series by series basis. If he performs he stays, if not, he goes. The one thing I don’t want to see is both Ponting and Hussey retire (or be pushed) at the same time. If at all possible there should be a 6-12 month gap between middle order vacancies.
May 14th 2012 @ 5:07pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 5:07pm | Report comment
I don’t think Ponting is that type of player – to get jealous of other’s success.
Ponting doesn’t have hidden agendas in the dressing room, unlike say, Shane Warne, who used to engage in dressing room politics.
Let’s not forget, Ponting did win an Ashes series 5-0, only the 2nd time in the game’s history that has occured.
The idea that Clarke is going to lead us to an Ashes win is still qutie a long shot, Im not sure anyone here would bet that we will win the Ashes back next year during one of the two Ashes series.
After that the next series is in 2015, Clarke may or may not be captain then, so it is irrelevant to speculate on that.
Personally, I would be surprised if we win the Ashes back before 2015.
May 14th 2012 @ 6:24pm
Rhys said | May 14th 2012 @ 6:24pm | Report comment
I doubt Ponting would harbour any jealousy toward Clarke, he’s no reason to given what he’s achieved, but he wouldn’t be human if he didn’t carry a sense of disappointment at not having won the Ashes in England.
I’m not overly confident of Australia winning on the 2013 tour, but if they can keep the likes of Harris and Pattinson fit and firing on field they may well steal a Test or even two. The Aussies will also need to bed in a settled top three over the course of next summer. Against the English attack at home, they can ill afford some of the 3 for not very much starts they experienced of late.
An interesting couple of years ahead for certain.
May 14th 2012 @ 9:47pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:47pm | Report comment
As I said, I don’t think Ponting is the type of player to dwell on what could have been – as you said, Ponting has achieved a hell of a lot, both as a player and a captain. I think that would over-ride any feelings of disappointment from 2005 or 2009.
Ponting more than most knows that if you put your hat in the ring, there is a chance you will lose. If that worried him, he would have retired from the captaincy years ago.
Ponting clearly thinks his good enough to play cricket, and deep down he probably thinks that his better that the likes of Kwajawa, Smith and Hughes. If he didnt think that he was good enough, he wouldnt play on.
May 14th 2012 @ 2:50pm
Johnno said | May 14th 2012 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
Ricky is now putting his bank balance and family ahead of what is in the best long term interests of Australian cricket , shame on you Ricky, the team comes first and other agendas like family and yourself come 2nd, the players waiting to take your spot have a family too feed too what about them, and the long term development of blooding new talant.
May 24th 2012 @ 3:01pm
ak said | May 24th 2012 @ 3:01pm | Report comment
He is not selfish . surely he is not running after money. He could have made millions by just playing IPL. But chose not to after the first season. So think twice before you say that about a legend.
May 14th 2012 @ 5:58pm
Lolly said | May 14th 2012 @ 5:58pm | Report comment
I think the selectors should have taken the ODI captaincy off him before the last World Cup but at least he let go of being captain eventually himself.
It’s up to the selectors. If they feel that the newbies are not doing enough to dislodge him, and let’s face it none of them are, then they’ll stick with him a lot longer.
Sachin Tendulkar said that it would be ‘selfish’ to retire and I guess that’s one way of looking at it. Punter may feel the same way.
May 14th 2012 @ 7:08pm
Tobes said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:08pm | Report comment
What a load of nonsense name one player in state cricket last year with the consistent record to bat in the top 6 instead of Ponting????
May 14th 2012 @ 7:27pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:27pm | Report comment
What goes in Cowan and Ponting’s favour is that when they went back to state cricket after the test season, and after Ponting was dropped from the ODI side, they both scored a truckload of runs – shows that they are a class above those in the domestic scene.
May 14th 2012 @ 7:35pm
Disco said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:35pm | Report comment
Ponting did surprisingly well, but truckloads? Don’t forget his dual failure in the Shield final.
May 14th 2012 @ 9:37pm
Morning Son said | May 14th 2012 @ 9:37pm | Report comment
The point is that Ponting scored runs, even in the ODD final, he scored 70 odd not out.
Players need to earn their spots, not be gifted them because they are young and have potential – ie, Smith, Kawajawa, Hughes.
May 15th 2012 @ 8:46am
Disco said | May 15th 2012 @ 8:46am | Report comment
Don’t you agree that Khawaja earned his spot through excelling in the Shield for two seasons? Hughes also earned his spot before being found out technically.
May 14th 2012 @ 7:38pm
Disco said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:38pm | Report comment
Consider that it might’ve been easier playing against India’s attack across a four Test series on high-quality pitches than it was playing in, say, 10 Shield matches.
May 14th 2012 @ 7:54pm
Tobes said | May 14th 2012 @ 7:54pm | Report comment
I think Shaun Marsh would disagree with you, and Khawaja and Hughes before him. No doubting Ponting is no longer in his peak but with no obvious replacement would prefer the current Ponting until one of generation next consistently put some runs on the board.
A real shame not to see Khawaja go back and prove the selectors wrong this year!
May 15th 2012 @ 8:48am
Disco said | May 15th 2012 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Well, Khawaja didn’t get the chance to play against India, did he? No, it was he and not aging, declining, failed captain Punter who got the flick after the Hobart loss to NZ. I wonder what would have happened if the roles were reversed?
Marsh’s horror show against India proved what many already thought – that he isn’t good enough.
May 15th 2012 @ 2:01pm
Morning Son said | May 15th 2012 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
Khawaja was dropped, went back to the shield, and didnt fire a shot.
Compare that to Ponting when he was dropped from the ODI team.
You clearly have something against Ponting which clouds your judgement.
Move on student.
May 16th 2012 @ 10:46am
Disco said | May 16th 2012 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Do I think Ponting should’ve been dropped after the Ashes and then again before the India series? Yes.
Student?
May 14th 2012 @ 11:16pm
pope paul v11 said | May 14th 2012 @ 11:16pm | Report comment
Khawaja was the obvious replacement. He should not have been dropped. His test form in pressure situations and difficult conditons ie South Africa win and New Zealand loss, was equal too or better than the holy trinity, Ponting, Clarke and Hussey . .
Anyway, I’m over it, well nearly.
The formidable South Africa’s fast bowlers might get a biggest say at the Australian selection table.
May 15th 2012 @ 8:51am
Disco said | May 15th 2012 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Yes, you’re probably right. The queue of people ready to drop to their knees at the throne of King Ponting is long and therefore he’s unlikely to get dropped even if he reverts to his pre-India form.