‘I’m not ready to walk away from playing for Australia,’ says Ponting
March 5th, 2011 - 10:47 am ICT by ANIColombo, Mar. 5 (ANI): Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has rubbished speculation that he would stand down from the one-day side after the 2011 World Cup, by saying that he is determined to steer Australian cricket through its most tumultuous period in two decades.
“I honestly haven’t seen a finish-line yet, which is a good thing,” he said ahead of his side’s clash against the Sri Lankans at the R. Premadasa Stadium here this afternoon.
“Every day is still a challenge training-wise and game-wise. One thing I’m proud of is the amount of cricket I’ve been able to play and some of the wins I’ve been involved in. All the runs and hundreds are great but they’ve never been the reason why I’ve played the game . . . nothing’s different now,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Ponting, as saying.
Ponting knows his form must improve if he wants to avoid a tap on the shoulder from the national selectors.
The Test skipper has scored just one ton from his last 43 international innings. In 22 one-day matches in the 2010 calendar year, Ponting scored 771 runs at 36.71, below-par returns for a batting phenomenon rated Australia’s best since Bradman.
“I’d love to keep playing but I’m only going to keep playing if I think I can contribute to the team and help win games of cricket,” he said.
“I don’t want to be standing in anyone’s way. If there are players better than me to play one-day cricket or Test cricket . . . if that’s the case I’m happy to move aside,” he said.
The Australians embark on a one-day tour of Bangladesh straight after the World Cup before Test trips to Sri Lanka and South Africa from August to November this year.
Form permitting, Ponting expects to be there. (ANI)
- Bellerive Oval doesn't seem to miss Ponting - Feb 24, 2012
- Strauss has no plans to quit one-day cricket following Lanka WC pummeling - Mar 27, 2011
- Ponting retires from ODIs, vows to carry on in Tests (Lead) - Feb 21, 2012
- Wise Ponting realised that clinging onto Oz captaincy could have finished him - Mar 30, 2011
- Clarke says Ponting's ODI career may not be over (Lead) - Feb 24, 2012
- Jaded Ponting cannot be rested, says Arthur - Feb 18, 2012
- Bailey replaces Clarke for Sunday's ODI against India (Lead) - Feb 17, 2012
- Ponting quits as captain, wants Clarke to succeed him - Mar 29, 2011
- Arthur backs Ponting to bat at No.3 - Apr 02, 2011
- Ponting not to rest for Bangladesh tour - Mar 17, 2011
- Ponting quashes talk about his retirement, vows to play after WC - Mar 23, 2011
- Ponting will be remembered as one of Australia's great captains: Mark Waugh - Mar 29, 2011
- Confident with the squad we have: Clarke - Aug 04, 2011
- Ponting survives axe, CA endorses him as skipper - Dec 31, 2010
- Ponting backs under-pressure Hussey to come good in Ashes - Nov 03, 2010
Tags: australian cricket captain, australians, bangladesh, calendar year, captain ricky ponting, clash, daily telegraph, finish line, national selectors, phenomenon, play one, premadasa stadium, ricky, skipper, south africa, speculation, sri lankans, test cricket, tumultuous period, world cup