Ricky Ponting has been a successful captain. He succeeded across format and was a fine fielder as well. But his form against arch-rivals India was questionable, specially when it came to facing veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Ponting also had a dismal record against India in India.
Ponting has scored over 13000 runs in the longest format of the game at an average of 51. He has the best score of 257 runs with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries to his name. However, in India, Ponting averaged merely 26.48 from his 14 appearances and could only notch up a single century.
Gautam Gambhir recalls his sledging incident with Ricky Ponting in 2008 Test series
Gautam Gambhir was a serious character, who liked to stay focused on the crease. The former India opener said, in 2008, Ponting tried to sledge him by saying ‘you have not sent the world on fire while batting’. To his, Gambhir did not remain silent and gave back by saying, ‘you have been a bunny in India’.
“Ricky Ponting in 2008. When Anil Kumble was the captain, in that series where I got a double hundred. In the 1st test match at Bangalore, he said that I had not sent the world on fire while I was batting and he was fielding at silly point,” Gautam Gambhir told on Stars Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“And I said ‘Neither have you to be honest in India. You have been a bunny’. And his record says that as well that he has been a bunny in India.” Gambhir added.
Ponting retired with over 27000 international runs to his name.