Predict Ricky Ponting's test future.

[Ruckus]

One thing that I will say is that ACB would not hesitate to drop anyone if they thought they were no longer deserving. It's a meritocracy and I admire it (even if we disagree with their decisions). Bcci on the othe hand do have to take into consideration other things - while Dravid might be droppable, SRT would be very very tricky to drop if he decides to not go out quietly (which would be against his character but still). Of course ACB don't have to worry about riots . If Ponting were Indian he'd be given a longer leash, so being in Australia might work against him as I dont see ponting going back to fc cricket until he refinds his form and trying to get back into the side, even if he was sure his problems are fixable.

Hmm that might be the situation now with the new management (hopefully), but in recent times I don't think that's been true. Ponting is a bit an unusual case in that his captaincy has bought him a lot of extra time despite being in very poor form during the latter years. It's fair enough that he was given a go after captaincy to see if his form would improve without the burden of it, but it will interesting to see just how long he get to stay around (assuming he doesn't go on his own terms). Despite the new management, I just can't see Ponting being dropped anytime soon even if he continues to fail. The fact that Clarke is a selecter now might also allow him to stay on a bit longer than if he had no significant input into the decision - we all know how much Clarke idolises Ponting. That being said though, I've been pretty damn impressed with how candid Clarke has been so far, so anything could happen I guess. It sure as hell wouldn't be an easy decision though to ask someone you have played under, and been instucted by, for so long to pack their bags.

 

[Spark]

I've not had the greatest luck in predicting these things. I thought SRT was done and he wasn't. I thought Dravid was done and he wasn't. I thought sehwag would never make it back into the side again and he did.

So I'm going to go against my gut and say he'll find his groove again.

Vale, Punter.

 

[Top_Cat]

One thing that I will say is that ACB would not hesitate to drop anyone if they thought they were no longer deserving. It's a meritocracy and I admire it (even if we disagree with their decisions).

Depends on the bloke and whether they're captain. They persevered with Mark Taylor for far too long in my opinion and AB was skirting close to losing his spot for a couple of years. Get the feeling Ponting is similarly anointed although him no longer being captain might erode his undroppability.

A lot of blokes were turfed at the first sign of decline too, though.

 

[Spikey]

it's what 53 now, + another 5 years to prove he isn't done....39

 

[andyc]

I don't think his average will slide too much. If he keeps not performing he will get dropped before his average is impacted greatly.

It's already slid from 58-59 to 52.

 

[Spark]

He averaged 60 after over 100 Tests... it's gone down a lot.

 

[ankitj]

How fortunes change! I remember at one time I had started rating Ponting above Tendulkar, but soon after came the long, lean period of Ponting's. Who would have believed in 06-07 that Ponting will have a patch like this?

 

[NUFAN]

I hope his career lasts another 7 Tests.

I really think that a double failure in the next Test and an Australia loss would see Ponting get dropped.

He's a champion though so I don't doubt he'll be able to produce a big innings, or at at least a decent enough knock to keep him in the team.

 

[Spark]

Yeah in about 07 I was definitely calling Ponting as #2 of all time... sigh.

 

[hang on]

I reckon he will hit form again. He looked in pretty good form in the Sri Lanka ODI series and is a very determined guy.

i would like to believe so but i am beginning to lose faith. and his determination hasn't done much for him for 3.5 years. if amir had taken that catch....

based on his performance in the next test, a call should be made. if he manages a fifty or more, or even a couple of 40s, stick with him. if he does not, on his outers. the kiwi series might be the right time to blood the young 'uns for the india series. though, if truth be told, the kiwi bowling is more potent than the indian one though the scoreboard pressure that a fully firing indian batting lineup can create is a different problem altogether.

 

[hang on]

oh, avoiding being run out regularly might also help. been runout more than any other batsman in the history of the game, from what i've read.

 

[Cevno]

I've not had the greatest luck in predicting these things. I thought SRT was done and he wasn't. I thought Dravid was done and he wasn't. I thought sehwag would never make it back into the side again and he did.

So I'm going to go against my gut and say he'll find his groove again.

So in short, he is done?

Can actually see him coming good against India in Australia.

 

[Flem274*]

We will either finish his career or bowl him into form. There will be no middle ground.

Ball better ****ing swing...

 

[nsniks]

So in short, he is done?

Can actually see him coming good against India in Australia.

Same here, I also have this feeling that he will find his form if he plays against us

 

[TumTum]

He doesn't have a Test future. He keeps playing these pretty little innings which makes everyone think he'll find form, but he doesn't.

 

[hang on]

He's battling just like Sachin did during the 2006-2007 period when he was getting in looking good and then getting out this was followed by a period of 3 years where he went medieval on everybody's ass lets see whether Punter can replicate it.

thing is, he wasn't getting in and looking good. he was looking scratchy as hell in the little he managed to survive at the crease. his innings against england and south africa in india in that period (perhaps south africa was a little earlier) being most illustrative of it.

 

[Cevno]

Yeah, Sachin wasn't looking good at all during that period. He was very scratchy and had cut out many of his shots due to the shoulder problem and due to losing strength was batting with a lighter bat too.

Though tbf, even during that period of about 4 years, he managed to make the odd big knock that was more than enough(Being Sachin) to keep his place in the team including that 248* at Sydney where he cut out 50% of his shots and just grinded through.


Dravid in his slump recently was even worse and looked all kinds of out of sorts.

 

[centurymaker]

out of form or under-rated batsmen always perform against india. i am fairly confident ponting will do the same. however i dont know whether that'll hold him in good stead for the other big series.

look where kallis has ended up because of just 1 series against india...went from being a marginal great batsman to an atg.

 

[Ruckus]

Dravid in his slump recently was even worse and looked all kinds of out of sorts.

Yeah Dravid's slump was almost as bad as the one Ponting is going through. His lasted about 40 innings, where as Ponting's is on about 43. Tendulkar's lasted about 48 innings, but as you said there where a few big knocks in there to save face.

It's pretty undeniable Ponting had the highest peak out of any of these batsmen, and it could well end up that he will have the biggest fall. I find Ponting's nickname so apt - his career is really like he took a gamble and it payed off big time, but now he is facing the consequences of gambling for too long...

 

[Hurricane]

It's already slid from 58-59 to 52.

Yeah but he is running out of chances now while before they persevered with him. Even reading this thread if he fails twice in the next game some fans would drop him.