Mumbai, September 12: Ricky Ponting, who has retired from Twenty20 International cricket, backed his current vice-captain Michael Clarke to take over the reins in the shortest format of the game.
Ponting felt Clarke deserves the opportunity to turn around Australia’s fortunes in what has been their weakest format.
Cricket Australia will announce Ponting’s successor at their board meeting next month. However, with Ponting’s public backing of Clarke and with the selectors having installed Clarke as his deputy in all three forms of the game two years ago, it will be difficult to look past him.
The other contenders are Brad Haddin and Cameron White. Though Clarke’s Test performance has been top-class, his strike rate has declined in the limited-overs formats, which has led to questions over whether he is the right man for the job.
White has led Victoria to all four finals of Australia’s domestic Big Bash tournament, while Haddin has captained Australia’s Twenty20 team twice this year.
However, Ponting feels Clarke is the best man for the job.
“Michael has done a terrific job in my absence, be it in Twenty20 or 50-over cricket,” Ponting said. “He’s continued to grow as a player and a leader. I know Cricket Australia said at my announcement they would wait until later in the year before they name the captain but Michael’s done everything right and deserves the first crack at it.”
Ponting reiterated his stand that his retirement from the shortest format would help prolong his career and give him a crack at returning for the 2013 Ashes.
“[Retirement from Twenty20 internationals] is hopefully going to give me a better opportunity to be able to [play the 2013 Ashes series] and come back here. It was about me wanting to play at the level I feel I can play at in 50-over cricket and Test cricket. With 20-over international cricket there at the moment it was just making it harder to be physically fit and mentally sharp for every game that I was playing.”
—–Agencies