But who would you give it to? I mean, it's all well and good stripping him of the captaincy but somewhat has to do it, and no one's exactly filled me with confidence thus far...Ponitng needs to get shot of the captaincy, he's never been more than serviceable and it's been a while since he touched that. Now seems like a mug punter (pun intended) desperately chasing the money with seemingly constant and largely baffling field changes.
He can then (assuming Oz can HTFU and lower herself to select an ex-captain) concentrate on his batting which I'd suggest his country still has use of. It's easy to forget he's nearly two years younger than Sachin.
He won't carry on if he gets sacked as captain, that much is certain.No doubt he has to go. He is the luckiest captain in the world to have walked his way to 3 World Cups and utter world domination due to a more than significant contribution from some peerless ex team mates but now he has been devastatingly exposed especially in the last 3 years.
Make no mistake, he is still a class act with the bat but whatever utility he could be in the swansong of his career, it is getting overshadowed by his captaincy. The time has come to relinquish the captaincy and he can surely prolong his career as a pure batsman by a year or two.
There was the Dravid, Kumble, Dhoni example as well, recently..Keeping a bloke at the helm past his sell-by date because the selectors are too gutless to pin the tail on a replacement is an awful reason to back the status quo, IMHO.
Not sure about Clarke in all honesty, will hold my hands up and say I don't like the bloke but he's done a decent job in limited overs (although his batting has tailed off in the abbreviated formats I suspect this is more to do with a tightening of his technique than him assuming the armband as such) and after Punter is probably the second name on the teamsheet.
Hussey would be mu shout tho. Yes, he's not much younger than Ponting (six months?) but he's only just over five years into his test career so (I'm guessing) is still quite hungry, obviously a student of the game, is patently a good chap and commands respect from friend and foe alike.
Safe pair of hands that might surprise us all and a couple of years down the line an obvious replacement may have established himself. Rather like the Alec Stewart interregnum between Atherton's and Hussain's reigns. IIRC Stewie is Athers's senior by five years and of similar age to Hussey is now. Lead us to our first win in a five test series for about 15 years too (v SA in 98).
Nonsense, he's a great ODI captain. He had Warne suspended a couple of months before the '03 WC, he has never lost a WC match as captain, he has won the Champions Trophy in '09 with his young team, won ODI series in India (which very few teams have managed) etc. etc.No doubt he has to go. He is the luckiest captain in the world to have walked his way to 3 World Cups and utter world domination due to a more than significant contribution from some peerless ex team mates but now he has been devastatingly exposed especially in the last 3 years.
Make no mistake, he is still a class act with the bat but whatever utility he could be in the swansong of his career, it is getting overshadowed by his captaincy. The time has come to relinquish the captaincy and he can surely prolong his career as a pure batsman by a year or two.
And managed to lose vs SA, SL, England at home as well.Nonsense, he's a great ODI captain. He had Warne suspended a couple of months before the '03 WC, he has never lost a WC match as captain, he has won the Champions Trophy in '09 with his young team, won ODI series in India (which very few teams have managed) etc. etc.
Blaming the captain when the team loses? Thats definitely not fair to Ponting. I dont see anything he could have done, save scoring more with the bat to win those series'. Is it that hard to believe that Australia were simply outplayed?And managed to lose vs SA, SL, England at home as well.
It will change in this WC. He had a fabulous test record as a captain which is fading now.Nonsense, he's a great ODI captain. He had Warne suspended a couple of months before the '03 WC, he has never lost a WC match as captain, he has won the Champions Trophy in '09 with his young team, won ODI series in India (which very few teams have managed) etc. etc.