Better to watch=better player??

[Furball]

Tbf he hit a double century filled with glorious pull shots the second such criticisms were levelled at him. Although he did sky one to fine leg on 0 .

But getting out pulling 3 or 4 times doesn't necessarily mean it's not a percentage shot, Ponting knows his game better than anyone. I think he'd have the maturity to put the pull shot away if he really felt it was a bad shot, but it's hard to say. It's such a big part of his game that it might be more beneficial just to work really hard on getting it back to where it was.

It's not the same high percentage shot it was in his pomp. He certainly shouldn't be playing it as early in his innings as he has been doing - the double century against Pakistan being a case in point.

 

[Uppercut]

Perhaps- it's quite an instinctive shot though- making a conscious decision to put it away might work out even worse. If you're not contemptfully smashing a back-of-a-length ball on off stump to the mid-wicket boundary it can get a bit awkward to play, especially in Australia. I'm undecided- I'll leave it to Ponting's experienced mind to decide what shots he should or shouldn't be playing.

 

[Top_Cat]

tbh, it was outside opinions which got him to think more circumspect after he kept getting out trying to smash the **** out of everything sent down to him. Albeit, they were former or current players at the time but still, sometimes the player himself needs someone else to say "Mate, what are ya doing? What are you trying to prove?"

I maintain that when he was dominating, unless the ball blatantly needed a smashing, Ponting put the pull shot away until he was relatively well set or happened to be feeling a million bucks that day. Certainly didn't go aerial until he was 30+. Early in his best innings, it's all drives and working the ball through leg.

That said, dunno exactly what the problem is. I've noticed he used to be such a big presence at the crease and his batting actually quite simple. He didn't need to be inventive and turn nothing into something like, say, Lara. He was always in perfect position to play one of only a few shots he needed to. If it was short outside off, cut. Full, drive anywhere from point to mid-off. Short on middle, pull, full on middle, on-drive in the arc between mid-wicket and mid-on. Not really much else. These days, he just seems to be caught fairly horribly out of position and is having to work much harder to meet the ball.

With Lara, if he was caught out of position, it didn't matter that much because he had the wrists to be able to change where he hit the ball on the fly. Ponting's batting is all about big initial movements and getting into position first which simplifies things. The one shot to play to that ball becomes obvious, just becomes about execution and timing. Ponting's batting is more tactical than intuitive. Recently, seems he's been caught in several minds when the ball reaches him and I wonder if it's the positional thing.

I see big differences between, say, this;

YouTube - ‪Ricky Ponting 144 Vs England 2001‬‎

and this;

YouTube - ‪Kemar Roach Vs Ricky Ponting‬‎

Not as decisive/quick when deciding whether to play back or forward any more perhaps? Was in prime form for the former knock and even then, didn't see the pull until he was past about 20.

 

[honestbharani]

tbh, it was outside opinions which got him to think more circumspect after he kept getting out trying to smash the **** out of everything sent down to him. Albeit, they were former or current players at the time but still, sometimes the player himself needs someone else to say "Mate, what are ya doing? What are you trying to prove?"

I maintain that when he was dominating, unless the ball blatantly needed a smashing, Ponting put the pull shot away until he was relatively well set or happened to be feeling a million bucks that day. Certainly didn't go aerial until he was 30+. Early in his best innings, it's all drives and working the ball through leg.

That said, dunno exactly what the problem is. I've noticed he used to be such a big presence at the crease and his batting actually quite simple. He didn't need to be inventive and turn nothing into something like, say, Lara. He was always in perfect position to play one of only a few shots he needed to. If it was short outside off, cut. Full, drive anywhere from point to mid-off. Short on middle, pull, full on middle, on-drive in the arc between mid-wicket and mid-on. Not really much else. These days, he just seems to be caught fairly horribly out of position and is having to work much harder to meet the ball.

With Lara, if he was caught out of position, it didn't matter that much because he had the wrists to be able to change where he hit the ball on the fly. Ponting's batting is all about big initial movements and getting into position first which simplifies things. The one shot to play to that ball becomes obvious, just becomes about execution and timing. Ponting's batting is more tactical than intuitive. Recently, seems he's been caught in several minds when the ball reaches him and I wonder if it's the positional thing.

I see big differences between, say, this;

YouTube - ‪Ricky Ponting 144 Vs England 2001‬‎

and this;

YouTube - ‪Kemar Roach Vs Ricky Ponting‬‎

Not as decisive/quick when deciding whether to play back or forward any more perhaps? Was in prime form for the former knock and even then, didn't see the pull until he was past about 20.

Lovely analysis, T_C... If it weren't for the ****storm it might start, I would like to see your analysis of the following batsmen AND your ratings of them:


Sachin, Lara, Ponting Steve Waugh, Border, Greg Chappell, Richards, Mianded, Gavaskar, Sehwag, Hayden, Sangakkara.