Will Ricky Ponting go down in history as a great captain or a lucky one?

[piriyanth]

Ricky Ponting has led Australia in 53 Test matches. They have won 36 of them. Does that signal that he is a great captain, or did he merely enjoy the good fortune to have a crop of outstanding players at his disposal?

 

[Jakester1288]

A bit of both. Depending on how he copes with the full rebuilding process over the next couple of years (if he lasts that long) will be a crucial factor in how he is judged as a captain. Anyone can just chuck the ball to Warne and McGrath and have them do all the work. If he can bring through a completely new team, full of youngsters, and be successful, then he will go down as a great captain in my books.

 

[Biggy]

Ricky Ponting has led Australia in 53 Test matches. They have won 36 of them. Does that signal that he is a great captain, or did he merely enjoy the good fortune to have a crop of outstanding players at his disposal?

He's a great Captain, but the likes of Warney, McGrath, Hayden, Langer and Gilly made his job a hell of a lot easier.

 

[King Pietersen]

Very average captain that has been blessed with a massive pool of superb talent.

 

[.::Stevo::.]

Agreed. He did inherent one of the greatest teams of all time though, and some of the decisions he makes out there are some times questionable.

Although i think the upcoming Ashes series is his major test. First time in a while the Australian team has a really young, inexperienced team which finally has some gaping holes in it. He need to really show is leadership for us to win this time.

 

[angryangy]

There's no real difference. Few bother to praise a losing captain.

 

[SciD]

Fleming got praises even though Kiwis were not world beaters.

 

[Aditya]

You can say he is good captain but for me dont so good throughout his career player like warne and mcgrath whas with him like score of australia 130 next team can be our on 120 no worries all to mcgrath and warne if he is great captain why not he win test now as becasue the both players have retired steve waugh is perhaps greatest because when he was playing 50-5 and then 350-5 a captain knockhe is the greatest ponting is nothing in front of him

 

[stefan]

More luck than being a good captain. Next year and a bit will be the real judgment on his captaincy ability.

 

[RoboRocks]

He's an average captain really. When put under pressure as captain, Ponting has looked clueless at times. His captaincy record doesn't give a true reflection of how good Ponting is.

 

[aussie1st]

Never rated him as a captain and another of commentators have the same view. So I don't believe he will be even mentioned among the greatest captains. Of course if he can lead the current guys back to the top and add another World Cup then he will be back up there. Heck just winning the WC 4 times in a row would be a feat to at least have him considered.

 

[mattfb]

He'll bring the Ashes home and it will shut everyone up about Warne, McGrath etc. He won in SA and that was like a new beginning. He is a great captain.

 

[jordox]

In my eyes, he's whole captaincy career is riding on the next series he is about to play.

 

[McLOVIN]

^^ pretty much sums it up!

he hasnt done much with the new kids. thanks to all those legenday players he won those 36 matches

 

[jordox]

he hasnt done much with the new kids.

Yeah, he hasn't done much at all with them; he only defeated the world best team at home in a test series

He's done very good with them so far, but I think the Ashes will test it.