Ricky Ponting has a lot on his plate. Despite a run in the IPL that was nothing short of disastrous, the Australian skipper responded with a grand innings of 158 upon his return to the Test arena.

Whilst perhaps enough to silence his critics for a short while, subsequent scores of five, 38 and a more substantial 65 may soon have them sharpening their pencils once more.

The latter three scores are certainly not lending themselves to demand for his sacking, they are not quite what one would expect from a man averaging nearly 60 in over 100 Tests and who made 576 runs at 82.28 in Australia’s whitewash of England in 2006-7.

'Is he beginning to feel the effects of Australia’s recent flurry of retirements?'


With senior bowlers and batsmen missing from his side, the onus is on Ponting to deliver more than ever. So is he beginning to feel the effects of Australia’s recent flurry of retirements?           

The legendary opening partnership of Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden has been half demolished; Adam Gilchrist, the man who single-handedly changed ‘wicketkeeper’ to ‘batsman-wicketkeeper’, is also gone so the pressure is on Ponting to deliver runs and hold together a greenish top six.

The absence of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath means Australia need big totals to ensure victory without their two greatest bowlers and a second innings total of just 167 in the second Test against the West Indies hardly inspires confidence.