Ricky Ponting - most wins as player and captain

[Avada Kedavra]

He has overtaken Shane Warne as the player with most test wins, and Waugh as the captain with most test wins.The win against Pakistan at MCG was Ponting's 93rd as a player and 42nd as captain.

 

[Sir Alex]

Congratulations Punter. The last remnant of a truly champion side.

 

[Somerset]

Thats an excellent milestone - puts it in perspective when you consider that hes had more test victories personally in his career than New Zealand has over their entire history.

 

[Avada Kedavra]

Please vote guys.

 

[Jayzamann]

Last option.

Sure, he inheritred a golden chalice which gave his captaincy the ultimate kickstart, but the sheer number of test wins, regardless of circumstance, both as player and captain, is an immense achievement in itself.

Hopefully before he hangs up the bat, he can round those numbers up to 100 test wins with 50 as captain.

 

[Shri]

Superb record. Makes it a bit contrasting though when you take into account him also being the captain to lose 2 back to back ashes away from home in recent times.

 

[iamdavid]

Fantastic achievment, testament to his longevity and and the quality of the teams he's played in and led.

Neither a better player than Warne nor captain than Waugh in my book though

 

[DaRick]

Sure, he inheritred a golden chalice which gave his captaincy the ultimate kickstart, but the sheer number of test wins, regardless of circumstance, both as player and captain, is an immense achievement in itself.

There is some truth to this, but when he inherited the captaincy, Ponting only really had one established and in-form quick (Gillespie), was obviously missing Waugh, nobody knew how Shane Warne would perform after his break and McGrath's return was uncertain. Still, it all came together eventually, so after SL 2003/04, his captaincy was rarely tested until the 2005 Ashes, when he came up quite badly short.

He has improved greatly as a captain since those days, though and this is a fantastic achievement for him, even though it is reflective as much of the sides that he has played in as it does his own captaincy merits.

 

[Jayzamann]

True, there were some ifs surrounding the Australian team at the time, but it is still easier to pop start a car on a bit of an incline, if you get my meaning.

I doubt that (if) he makes it to 100 test wins as a player, that would ever be matched by anyone.

 

[pasag]

ODI achievements not too shabby either.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Answer to the poll question is pretty obvious, isn't it?

It's a telling reflection on a period of success that has never been matched by any team. The number of series whitewashes Australia was involved in during Ponting's career for example is absurdly higher than other great and dominant sides have managed, because the aggressive style of cricket played (and the quality of McGrath and Warne) left so few games resulting in draws, even in an era of flat pitches.

It doesn't mean anything about Ponting as an individual player that couldn't be quantified in other ways though. He's a good captain these days IMO, arguably as good as Waugh, but not exceptional tactically, and any number of wins won't really change that.

As Pasag said, it's pretty incredible when you throw in his ODI achievements as well, which include four successive World Cup finals, three wins, and an amazing record as captain that nobody comes close to at all.

 

[Top_Cat]

Tends to be undervalued as a captain, does Punter. Having a stellar squad isn't enough, still takes a leader to make them win a lot. Look at Pakistan through the 90's and 00's. Possessed some of the top batters (Inzi, Anwar, MoYo, Younis to a lesser extent) and bowlers (W's, Shoaib, Saqlain) for the period yet somewhat fractured teams and fairly ordinary leadership meant they rarely beat serious opposition at home or away.

Agree with Faaip that he's on par with Waugh, neither of them were awesome captains. But they were good enough to use the players they had to win an awful lot of Tests. In ODI's, well, it's really beyond all doubt whether he's the best skipper ever.

 

[Jono]

Kerry O'Keefe said it best on the radio. Ponting isn't a great tactician and never has held himself to be one. But players love playing for Ricky Ponting. He's a great leader of men.

 

[Rant0r]

Indeed

 

[Rant0r]

Although by the same token, players wanting to run through a brick wall for their skipper doesn't always work in cricket

 

[Jono]

It helps when
a) those players are good
b) the captain is also damn good, and leads by example with the bat and in the field
c) the team is well drilled

 

[Ghostee]

neither

The topic contradicts itself.

The achievement is purely based on how well the team did. Wins as a player or captain depends on the performance of 10 other players. A player like brian lara could easily have done the same if he were born in aus ;p.

Better captain? mmm yeah maybe since he works with a lot of young players where as waugh had mcgrath and warne to fall back on.

better player? i don't know if he is as dominant of a player a warne. i mean.. warne wins games by himself in the last inning XD

 

[Streetwise]

It helps when
a) those players are good
b) the captain is also damn good, and leads by example with the bat and in the field
c) the team is well drilled

Yes you can see how Ponting has stamped his authority on this team, he has pulled this team together into a winning combination.

 

[Rant0r]

Aren't they ranked number 4 ?

 

[Jayzamann]

Aren't they ranked number 4 ?

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