It’s going to be strange without playing Ponting: Michael Clark- Cricket News Update
As the team prepares for life without their two-time world champion captain Ricky Ponting, Australian Skipper, Michael Clarke, has voiced emotively that it will be a strange feeling when he takes the field against Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Bank tri-series
on Feb 24, 2012.
The 37-year old right-handed batsman was forced to step back from One-Day-International cricket after a highly inconsistent run of form in the opening phase of the ongoing series.
Michael, in his column for the Daily Telegraph said, "It's going to be a weird feeling walking onto Hobart's Blundstone Arena on Friday without Ricky Ponting. It's going to be strange when I look around the field during our one-day match against Sri Lanka
and can't see him there.”
Clarke recalled the good times he has shared with Punter on the field of cricket. The duo have played in over 200 one-day matches together, making valuable partnerships along the way, which have brought success to the team.
The 30-year old skipper also said that the exclusion of the veteran is a big message for everyone. He meant that no one is irreplaceable, and the selectors are keen to ensure stability for the long run.
With Ricky being dropped, despite possessing an extra-ordinary one-day career, Pup further asserted that youngsters will have a tough task ahead of them and will need to grab their opportunities in order to stake a permanent claim.
Paying tribute to former skipper’s knowledge, experience and the legacy he has left behind, Clarke said, "To be second in the world behind Sachin Tendulkar as the leading run-scorer in the one-day game is rare company. And it's not just Ricky's batting which
has made him a stand-out cricketer,”
Apart from a magnificent batting record, Ponting’s enthusiasm, athleticism and positive attitude is also an example for the young players. His 20 years of excellence remain a huge inspiration for future generation.
Punter however, has yet to officially announce his retirement from International cricket, but his involvement in the ODI circuit remains unwelcoming.