2011 Cricket World Cup: Ricky Ponting hoping for a 'rebirth' to match Sachin Tendulkar's

 

Demands for Ponting's resignation were louder before his gritty hundred in the quarterfinal loss to Tendulkar's Indian squad, which still ensured Australia's worst World Cup run in two decades but salvaged his own career.

Now the 36-year-old Ponting says he's hopeful of a late-career revival.

"I guess with even making some runs in this last game that I've played and getting that really good feeling back about my batting again, hopefully it might be a bit of a kickstart for a Tendulkar-sort rebirth, if you like," Ponting said.

After admitting his nine year reign as Australian captain could end if the Australian selectors felt it was time to go, Ponting said he had decided the time of his own retirement.

"I'll know the right time that it's time for me to not be playing any more and I haven't found that time just yet," Ponting said.

Ponting strongly hinted on his arrival at Sydney Airport on Sunday that his is considering his future. He appeared to acknowledge that a planned review by Cricket Australia of the Australian team's recent loss of form might take the decision from him and recommend his removal as captain.

"Even though we're out early, it's nice to be home and I'll have the opportunity over the next couple of days to reflect on where things are headed for me and certainly what direction I feel things are heading for the betterment of Australian cricket," Ponting said.

"Every decision I've ever made was always with Cricket Australia's thoughts at the front of my mind. It's always been about putting the team before me.

"The direction of my thoughts will be along those lines the next couple of days."

Ponting has won three World Cups, and was captain in the last two winning campaigns when Australia didn't drop a game. Back-to-back losses to Pakistan and India within six days ended a run of 34-unbeaten World Cup matches for the Aussies.

Ponting has been one of Australia's most successful captains, but recently his record has been slipping — three Ashes series defeats in four series has proved costly to his popularity in Australia. Now Australia will drop off its perch in ODI cricket, too.

Ponting's statistics as a batsman remain impressive — he has 13,288 runs in 359 ODIs dating back to 1995, although his 104 against India at Ahmedabad last week was his first century in 13 months. He also has 12,363 runs in test cricket, with 39 hundreds.

In terms of centuries and runs scored in international cricket he's second only to Indian great Tendulkar, who is aiming for his 100th international century when India play Pakistan in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Tendulkar, who will turn 38 next month, has more than 18,000 runs in ODIs and 14,692 in tests in a career that dates back to 1989.

But what Ponting said about a Tendulkar-like rebirth might indicate a shift in his position as captain. Tendulkar had a wretched run as India captain from 1996-2000, winning only 23 of 73 ODIs in that span and four of 25 test matches. Since relinquishing those duties, Tendulkar's form and confidence have flourished.

That could be playing on Ponting's mind, particularly after acknowledged the increasingly virulent debate in Australia about his future.

"The last couple of weeks there's been a few differing opinions out in the papers and out in the news about me and my future as leading the team," he said. "It's been nice the last week especially to hear some endorsement from Cricket Australia and the selectors about that position.

"But that's where the next few days are crucial to me as well. I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward.

"I still think I've got a lot to offer the team as a player and a leader."

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Shane Warne: let Ricky Ponting be the judge of when he should retire from international cricket with Australia

There are only three options: for him to remain as captain, to resign and continue only as a player, or no more Ricky Ponting.

One thing is certain, Ricky deserves to go out in the manner of his own choosing and I would wait a while for the dust to settle before anyone makes a big decision.

He will want to discuss with the players and the people he respects before coming up with the right answer. Only Ricky Ponting knows what that answer will be.

When you are in the middle of a series or tournament, surrounded by players and in the team environment you never look at it with an outsider’s view. You don’t listen to the media and you don’t think 'this could be my last game’.

The only factors to concentrate on are your own form and game. That is not to say retirement is not at the back of your mind. There are moments when you think about what is the right thing to do and you want to go out on your own terms and on a high. That will be uppermost in Ricky’s thoughts.

He has been around long enough and will have an instinct about what to do. But there are two factors – the heart and mind. If both are saying the same thing then it is easy to make the right decision. If he has conflict, that is when he will need to sit back and take stock to work out what is the best way forward.

As a player your main concern is that you must be good enough to be picked in the team on performance. Then it is about whether you have the energy, drive and patience to put in the work and amount of time required to stay at the top.

One question you need to ask yourself whatever you are doing in life is 'am I enjoying myself?’ If you are not enjoying what you are doing it is time to do something else. If the answer is 'yes’ and it still feels like you can perform and have something to offer then there is no reason to go anywhere.

When you retire as a player who has achieved and been one of the greats like Ricky, it is not easy to let go of something that has been a big part of your life for 15 years. The reason I retired is because the enjoyment stopped. It was not just about playing cricket. It was about time away from family, friends and living a certain lifestyle after 20 years of first-class cricket.

I was not prepared to put in the hours of sponsors’ appearances, scrutiny and judgment or getting up to play day in day out when your body is hurting and sore. I never saw cricket as a job. It was a hobby to me. My most important job was to be the best father I could possibly be to my children. Anyone who plays cricket at any level probably thinks “how can you not enjoy it?”

Playing cricket for Australia should be fun but if it becomes a grind and you don’t want to go to work, because that is the way you suddenly see it, then it is time to do something different.

A lot of great players do not go out on their own terms. That leads to a bit of regret and frustration. But when people go out on top there is satisfaction and the best piece of advice I received when thinking about retirement came from Ian Chappell. His words were “The only hint I will give you is to make sure they say to you 'why are you retiring?’ rather than 'why don’t you retire?’.” Once he said that I thought 'yes I am doing the right thing’.

Ricky’s future is part of a wider debate for Australian cricket. There is a bit of soul searching and honesty to be addressed by every player, selector, coach and Cricket Australia.

There is no disgrace losing to India in India. Their only two defeats in the World Cup were against a Pakistan team on fire and India so there is no shame in the way they played in the sub-continent and we do not need to make rash decisions right now. We can wait until after the short tour of Bangladesh in early April.

But if you put this World Cup performance in context of the Australian summer of losing the Ashes then soon we will have to sit down and have a good chat about the future to work out the best way to regain the number one spot in the world.

Who are the players, leaders, coaching staff to steer the team in the future? There are two ways to go. Don’t change a thing or, after a break, regroup and strive to improve.

Let’s have a chat with the right people and work out not what is best for players, selectors or coaching staff but the right thing for Australian cricket.

Australia have led the world in preparation, processes and domestic cricket. Those things have held Australian cricket in good stead for a long time but nobody stays number one forever. Other teams have just caught up.

Now we have to decide if it is time to inject different people or different tactics. Those are questions that need to be answered but not in a blind panic. Australian cricket must weigh it all up after some time out.

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