168 Test
matches, over 13000 runs in the format, with an average in the higher 50s and a
joint-record of 16 consecutive victories in Test matches (although he did lose
three Ashes series, a dubious distinction that he’s the only Australian captain
to be in possession of). 375 ODIs, yet another 13000+ runs, with an average in
the lower 40s and three World Cups in his extensive CV. 17 T20 Internationals,
400 odd runs, with a SR of 132.78. A combined tally of 71 centuries in
International cricket (2779 boundaries and 246 over-boundaries) in all formats,
across continents and against varying opponents. Add to that his fantastic
fielding (there really should be some sort of ICC-recognized system for
calculating the runs saved by each player in the field; he would surely have
been a frontrunner in that record book), especially in the slip cordon and at
cover (364 catches in total), and there remains no doubt that the retiring almost
38-year-old Tasmania-born Ricky Thomas Ponting is no doubt an Australian
cricket legend (he only sits below the great Donald George Bradman in his
country’s overall ratings) and one of the most prolific and consistent
run-scorers the world of cricket has ever seen.
Is that all
that one defines a sportsperson, you wonder.. Will the fact that he assured the
umpire that Sourav Ganguly was caught cleanly, when it was evident that the
ball had been grassed and Michael Clarke – the fielder who took the catch – himself
was unsure (Gavaskar said on air “Why is
Mr. Benson asking a person who didn't walk off when he was caught behind at 14,
and it couldn't be possible that you are lying when you are batting and true
while you are fielding. That is nonsense! Utter nonsense! I am sorry Mr.
Benson, you got it all wrong.”), be remembered by anyone?
Notwithstanding
the many victories that his team achieved during his tenure at the top, Ponting’s
achievements as the captain of the Australian national cricket team has also
been questioned – a common belief is that he stood on the shoulders of giants
such as McGrath, Warne, Lee, Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, Symonds and only then
could he reach for the stars.
I enjoyed
thoroughly every time an Australian team led by him was defeated, more so on
the biggest stages (T20 World Cup, ICC World Cup, the Ashes, the
Border-Gavaskar trophy, etc.) anywhere, and by any team whatsoever. Punter’s
definition of “The Spirit of the Game” was to do whatever it took to get a
decision in his favour and then define it as the ‘Aussie competitive spirit’, and
I admit it was marvelous to see him sledge, cheat and lose.
Your
aggressive batting (the best shot of which was undoubtedly the
perfectly-controlled pulls of both the front and back feet) will be missed, but
your attitude won’t.
