World View

Remembering Ponting

It would be appropriate if Ricky Ponting is to play his last international cricket in a World Cup in India. That event,and that place,encapsulate the mixed nature of his career. In 15 years,Ponting has never quite gelled with India. Some Australian players open themselves up to India,while for others it is just one hassle after another. Mostly their comfort in that country is reflected in their performances. In six Test tours to India,playing 14 matches,Ponting has scored one century and averaged 26.48,a touch below half his career average. He has never played in a winning Test series there. The one time Australia have won in India in the past 42 years,the 2004 series,Ponting was injured for the first three Tests and the Indophile Adam Gilchrist,as captain,led two wins. Ponting returned for the fourth Test,and Australia lost. It8217;s also apt,in a sad kind of way,that Ponting can see close-up the Indian summers of the two players he might regard as his career peers,Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. Both are in superlative form,after lulls in their early 30s. You can see that Ponting has been inspired by Tendulkar and Kallis to believe that he,too,can return to his best for one last flourish. But neither Tendulkar nor Kallis is an international captain,and both are playing for winning teams.