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One of the finest batsmen of modern era and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting decided to end his international careers in 2012. Ponting, who led Australia to two World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, pulled curtain on his illustrious international career at the end of the Perth Test against South Africa.
Ponting, who made his debut in 1996, played 168 Test matches and 375 ODIs in his international career which lasted 17 years. Ponting, most probably the greatest batsman after redoubtable Don Bradman, made a staggering 13378 runs at an average of 51.85 in Tests and amassed 13704 runs in ODIs at 42.03. He is the only player in the world who has been a member of over 100 Test matches that his country won over the years.
Though nobody questions his greatness as a batsman, his leadership skill came under a lot of criticism towards the end of his tenure. With the retirements of the great players like Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Ponting’s handling of new resources was uninspiring.
After an indifferent 2011 and 2012 seasons, when he was sacked from the ODI team, pressure started mounting on him to retire from Test. He though responded with a brilliant double hundred against India at Adelaide and a century at Sydney, his failure with the bat against the touring South African side prompted him to end his career at the age of 37.
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