If Graeme Smith had an unforgettable 2008, Ricky Ponting had a 2008 of being bashed and bruised. Never in recent memory had an Australian captain lost a home series since 1992, particularly a back to back defeat.
It was an eye-opening experience for the Australian public; they have now witnessed the current Baggy Green is miles apart from the late '90s–mid '00s of Steve Waugh’s all-conquering Test team that included champion players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Justin Langer, and Adam Gilchrist.
That team also had the support acts of Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Mark Waugh, and handy all rounders Andy Bichel and Ian Harvey. Out of the current team, only Ricky Ponting can claim a spot of his own in that team. Another player to be considered, Matthew Hayden, can definitely be a useful foil for Justin Langer and at his best can bully any opening attack the rest of the test world can throw upon.
But sadly the machismo is catching up with age, and is no longer the force he used to be (although I can be proven wrong if he returns to the test line up). Brett Lee is feeling the heavy burden of leading the attack getting to him, and a foot injury will do him a world of good to unwind and recuperate his powers so that he can start bowling at blistering pace he is capable of.
But what about the current captain? Ever since Ponting was made captain in 2004, a few foresighted individuals see him being charged with the unenviable task of re-building an ageing team.
Initially he has managed well with the introduction of Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey into the middle order, plus the introduction of Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson as all-round options (although they seem to take turns whenever they play for Australia), and the emergence of Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark as a pace attack to support the talisman Lee.
As captain of a side that needs to live up to the ruthless winning streak displayed by previous captains, Ponting did that well to coming short of attaining that record winning streak of 17-straight test wins (against India in January 2008). Since that fateful test defeat, Ponting’s Australia has failed to implement that killing instinct to good effect.
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