Ricky Thomas Ponting, former cricket team captain of Australian team, is regarded as one of the best batsmen of all time. During his time with Australia, he led the team to two World Cup victories. He has also leaded his team as run scorer in ODIs and Tests. Moreover, he is the only player to won more than 100 Test Matches.
'Punter', referred by his teammates, was born in Tasmania on 19 December 1974. At the age of 17, he made his Tasmanian First Class debut.
Former Australian Wicketkeeper Rod Marsh considered him "best among the teens'' while watching him play there. As a result of his three years playing journey, Ponting made his way to the national team.
| Born: 19 Dec 1974 | Nationality: Australian |
| Years Active: (1995-2012) | Birth Place: Launceston, Tasmania, Australia |
| Height: 5 ft 8 in | Role: Batsman |
| Batting Style: Right-Handed Bat | Bowling Style: Right-arm Medium |
| Nickname:Punter |
Ricky Ponting was born in Launceston, Tasmania on 19 December 1974, the eldest child of Graeme and Lorraine Ponting. Graeme was also a good club cricketer and played Australian football while Lorraine was a champion in state vigorous sports. Originally, Ponting's parents lived in Prospect in Tasmania but they later moved to Newnham, Tasmania, a working-class neighborhood.
He married his long-time girlfriend, law student Rianna Cantor, in June 2002. According to him, she helped him become more mature. The couple is parents to three children, Emmy Charlotte (daughter), Matisse Ellie (daughter), and Fletcher William (son).
Ricky Ponting has always loved cricket, and it was his uncle and great batsman Greg Campbell who inspired him to play it. In 1992, Ricky Ponting played for his hometown Tasmania in a first-class match. Due to his four back-to-back centuries in the under-13 circuit in 1985-86, he received a Kookaburra scholarship. In 1992, Ricky Ponting scored 350 runs while representing Tasmania's under-19 side.
On his FC debut in 1992, he batted in the middle order at number four in the Sheffield Shield Match. Ponting made back-to-back centuries on the fastest and most difficult pitches for a batsman at that time, as he was the strongest teenage batsman.
Ricky Ponting debuted for Australia in 1995 in an ODI match against South Africa followed by his Test debut the following year. As a player, he played with legends like Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, and Adam Gilchrist among others.
Before his debut in Australian cricket team, Ricky Ponting was a well-known name in the batting circle and also in terms of his strong mindset since he played first-class cricket for Australia.
As soon as he made his debut, he started piling up runs for Australia. His inning of 140* in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup final is most renowned. This is because the mighty Australians blasted India out of the final scoring with a huge total of 359.
The year before, he had played 71 Tests out of which he scored 5115 runs at an average of 52.73. In addition to this, he had played 131 ODIs in which he scored 4800 runs at an average of 41.37. By then, he had already scored 26 international hundreds.
In terms of his career, the only part Punter would not like to see is his losses during the Ashes series and his performances in India. His performance on the subcontinent was disappointing as a captain as well as a batsman. In every other nation, he has a Test average above 40, but in India, it was only 26.
His career came to an end in 2012 after a disastrous home series against South Africa.
After Steve Waugh dropped from the captain's role, he became Australia's captain in 2002. While his aggressive captaincy won him many fans, his hard play also attracted criticism.
Ponting was considered the best captain of his era and led the most successful team in the world for many years. The longest winning streak of any team in World Cups was 34 matches for Australia. They won 16 consecutive Test matches. Except for India, his team outperformed all the nations in their own country.
As Australia's captain, Ponting led the team to 165 ODI victories at a 76.14 winning percentage and 48 Test victories at a 62.33 winning percentage.
In March 2011, Ponting resigned as Australia's captain after losing to India in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
He retired from Test cricket in December 2012, after scoring 13,378 runs, second only to Sachin Tendulkar of India. In 2013, he retired from all forms of the sport, though he worked as a coach for several years afterward.
| ODI | |
|---|---|
| Matches: 375 | Run Scored: 13704 |
| Batting Average: 42.04 | Top Score: 164 |
| 200/100/50: 0/30/82 | Wickets: 3 |
| T20 | |
|---|---|
| Matches: 17 | Run Scored: 401 |
| Batting Average:28.64 | Top Score: 98 |
| 200/100/50: 0/0/2 | Wickets: 0 |
| Test | |
|---|---|
| Matches: 168 | Run Scored: 13378 |
| Batting Average: 51.85 | Top Score: 257 |
| 200/100/50: 6/41/62 | Wickets: 5 |
Sachin Tendulkar of India fields during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Group B match between India and the Netherlands at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium on March 9, 2011 in Delhi, India.
Sachin Tendulkar of India raises his bat on scoring his century during the Group B ICC World Cup Cricket match between India and South Africa at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground on March 12, 2011 in Nagpur, India.
Sachin Tendulkar of India hits out watched by wicketkeeper Matt Prior of England during day five of the 4th npower Test Match between England and India at The Kia Oval on August 22, 2011 in London, England.
Sachin Tendulkar reach the iconic landmark of 100 international centuries against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in 2012
Sachin's first Test century
Sachin Tendulkar’s dream to hold the World Cup in his hands and in 2011 it finally happened.
