Lawson says time for Ponting to hand over captaincy to Clarke to focus on batting
October 15th, 2010 - 3:12 pm ICT by ANI
Melbourne, Oct 15 (ANI): Former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson has asked the Australian selectors to dump Ricky Ponting as captain before the Ashes, after a series whitewash at the hands of India, and replace him with vice captain Michael Clarke.
He said Ponting, 35, had now lost five series, and relieving him of the captaincy would allow him to focus more on his batting.
“I mean he’s now lost five series, it may be time to say, ‘Look mate, we’ve got Michael Clarke ready to go with a nice fresh young mind. He can be the captain and you focus on your batting and try to restore yourself to the level we know you’re capable’,” he said.
Lawson told ABC Radio such a move had done wonders for India and Sachin Tendulkar’s career.
“Ricky’s still batting reasonably - he got two scores of 70 in (the last) Test match,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Lawson, as saying.
“The difference is that Tendulkar got a couple of hundred and then backed it up with a 50-odd not out, and obviously he can focus on those big scores (without the burden of being skipper).
“You’ve got to look at the way Ponting is batting and think, mentally, he can’t concentrate for long enough,” Lawson said
Lawson’s comments come after spin legend Shane Warne publicly criticised Ponting for field placements in Australia’s seven-wicket loss to India in Bangalore. (ANI)
- CA chief defends axed Ponting - Feb 26, 2012
- India 61/2 at stumps - Jan 25, 2012
- Ponting quits as captain, wants Clarke to succeed him - Mar 29, 2011
- 'Ponting contemplating retirement from ODIs' - Feb 20, 2012
- Oz Test legend Walters wants Ponting axed as skipper after World Cup - Mar 18, 2011
- Clarke feels Ponting is victim of own high standards - Apr 21, 2012
- 'It's great to have Ponting back for World Cup,' says Clarke - Feb 12, 2011
- Clarke has many challenges as Australian Cricket captain - Mar 30, 2011
- Will not let Sachin get the hundred: Clarke - Jan 25, 2012
- Ponting wants to carry on even after India series - Dec 28, 2011
- We have always put the team first: Clarke - Jan 06, 2012
- Clarke must shape up as batsman or forget about Oz captaincy: Ian Chappell - Dec 21, 2010
- Stage set for Tendulkar to get his 100th century: Ganguly - Jan 25, 2012
- Ponting certain to play in Boxing Day Test: Langer - Dec 21, 2010
- Ponting aspires to captain Australia till he retires - Nov 09, 2010
Tags: abc radio, australia, australian selectors, captain michael, daily telegraph, field placements, geoff lawson, India, last test, melbourne, michael clarke, ponting, ricky, sachin tendulkar, shane, skipper, vice captain, whitewash, wicket