Talent is an often overrated quality in sport, and not a sure shot recipe for success. If that was the case people like Vinod Kambli, Basit Ali, Tim Henman and Sania Mirza would have been legends in the respective field. The fact that they aren’t proves that talent is only a part of the formula needed to succeed in sport. The other more important attributes include hardwork, single-minded dedication and lots of hunger. Ricky Ponting, who will say goodbye to cricket following the Perth Test, possessed the abovementioned imputes in plenty, which is what makes his standout from the rest of the crowd. There was never any doubt over his exceptional talent, but he made sure that the god-sent gifts were not wasted.
For a man who made his debut back in 1995, Ponting has been around for a hell of a long time. Those who grew up in the 90’s have witnessed his metamorphosis from a spoilt brat to a senior statesman and, in the process, also becoming among the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the game. It is for this reason that many genuine Ponting fans are saddened that the great man is bowing out on such a low. Admirers always want their heroes to be at their best, whether it is their first game or last game. Possibly, Ponting has made his decision one series too late. Then again, it is better late than never; at least he has arrived at a conclusion.
Along with Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar, Ponting formed a quartet which ruled world cricket for over a decade. The Aussie lacked the flamboyance of the West Indian, the defensive skills of the South African and the ease of the Indian master blaster. But, what he possessed was a unique skill of his own – that of taking the game into the opposition camp, and coming up triumphant. He did this irrespective of the situation of the game, a testimony of the belief he had in himself as a player. At his peak, this gameplan of Punter hardly failed, one of the reasons why Australia won so many games with him in the team.
Speaking of his attacking game, it should be mentioned here that Ponting hardly ever slogged. For him, being attacking meant dispatching the poor ball to the boundaries, and never missing out on an opportunity to score runs. After all, be it Test or the shorter versions, cricket is all about scoring runs. This is where Ponting held an edge even over Tendulkar for a few years. While the Indian legend seemed to go into his shell way too often, Ponting remained positive without being reckless. One of the key reasons behind Ponting’s success in Tests was his ability to deal with the short ball. Few players in modern day cricket play the horizontal bat shot better than Ponting did when he was at the zenith of his powers.
As an individual, one of his few transgresses came very early on in his career when he was severely reprimanded for getting into a brawl in an Indian pub during Australia’s 1998 tour. From that year till now, one has never heard of a Ricky Ponting misadventure off the field. If that is not transformation, then nothing is. Looking at his overall career, the only visible blip is the three Ashes losses as skipper. But, that only goes to show that even the greatest men in sports are human. Remember, in spite of those reverses, Ponting still remains Australia’s most successful leader.
Irrespective of his captaincy record, his more significant contribution to Australian cricket will remain as that of a batsman; one who stood up for the team’s cause and rarely faltered. When Ponting thrust his front foot forward for Australia, he did not alwayslook charming, but he was rarely ineffective. That’s the legacy Ponting will leave behind.
--By A Cricket Analyst
