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Ricky Ponting's mindset before 03 WC Final

J

Jumno

U19 Captain
India were improving, had a good batting line up and there bowlers posed a huge danger with their 3 quicks, and Harbhajan troubled Aussies in 2001.

He didn't seem worried and he also knew that against Pak, Eng, NZ, Sri L, Kenya, they had batting collapses and their batting was inconsistent in this world cup. India must have fancied there chances seeing how they improved during their first lose and India knew of Australia's inconstancy in batting. Symonds and Bevan bailed them out on some games.

I loved his confidence, but he said he wasn't worried.

Then he must have great confidence in his batsman despite knowing they had a few hiccups in their batting order in this world cup, unfortunately India's bowlers on the day just bowled waywardly in the first 10 overs giving them 80 runs inside 10 overs.

Come on, Zaheer and Nehra were big threats, Srinath had experience and they did not play Harbhajan well before.

But to have this confidence batting knowing India's pacers posed danger and knowing 5 times in the tournament his batting line up almost totally failed, is real guts.

But why did Ponting have this confidence?
 
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h_hurricane

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
Ponting knew 4 things would go in his favor. This gave him immense confidence just to think of plan A (bat first, bat big).

1. Ganguly would make the dump decision to bowl first if he wins the toss, after what happened in the league match. Not saying that India would have won it batting first.
2. There would be always Mcgrath..
3. There would be no Warne.
4. God forbid, if it is a close match, Bucknor would do a Bucknor..
 
J

Jumno

U19 Captain
They had an in-form Lee too.

But come on. In his two autobiographies, he was basically stating he was not worried when he should have been. Maybe he also knew apart from Tendulkar and Dravid, all the other batsman were not genuinely good against good pace and under pressure they would crumble.

Come on, Zaheer and Nehra were big threats, Srinath had experience and they did not play Harbhajan well before.

But to have this confidence batting knowing India's pacers posed danger and knowing 5 times in the tournament his batting line up almost totally failed, is real guts.
 
bagapath

bagapath

International Captain
at different times during their careers, great sportsmen display unwavering self-belief and invincibility. they have the swagger. they have the smirk. they don't believe they can lose. This is when they have an aura around them. It is a phase when everything clicks.

Examples... Viv Richards before 1986 (after which he started batting at no.5 and he was merely a good batsman)
Marshall between 1983 and 1988 when he always took the new ball
Warne and Tendulkar from debut to the midway marks of their long careers, and then again, after a slump, for four more years (before Warne retired and Tendulkar faded away post 2011 WC with two years of mediocrity)
Botham from 1977 - 1982

Ponting, during the 2003 WC was in that phase of his awesome career.
From 2001 to 2008 he was the most exciting batsman to watch.
The pulls and hooks were stinging. The back-foot punch was scorching. His fielding was topnotch.
In the middle of all this he became the ODI skipper, then test skipper, lost ashes in the mother of all series and won back with a 5-0 knock out next time around. and he won two world cups as skipper.

this was right in the middle of his purple patch and he knew he was not going to lose to anyone.
No wonder he was not nervous at the 2003 final.
if he were to play the final in 2011, for example, perhaps he would have been less confident.

I am just trying to explain away a legend's mindset from a mere mortal's point of view.
 
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TheJediBrah

TheJediBrah

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India had every chance on paper. But realistically they were never in it because it was a WC final and they weren't a clutch team, and Aus were full of clutch big-game players who perform when it actually matters.

(this comment dedicated to Burgey)
 
K

Kirkut

International Regular
The only time Australia came close to a collapse was the game against Pakistan when Wasim was getting that late inswing and Aus lost some 5 wickets before reaching 100 until Symonds played the innings of his career. Otherwise Australia breezed through the tournament.

Ponting was a once in a lifetime talent, scoring 50 from 74 balls and then scoring last 90 runs from 47 balls in a tournament final when batsmen would naturally play cautiously otherwise shows that. Even Steven Smith for all the greatness he has achieved never scared me like Ponting did.
 
F

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
Kirkut said:
The only time Australia came close to a collapse was the game against Pakistan when Wasim was getting that late inswing and Aus lost some 5 wickets before reaching 100 until Symonds played the innings of his career. Otherwise Australia breezed through the tournament.
Click to expand...
Australia breezed through the 2007 tournament, but struggled at times in 2003:
135/8 vs England chasing 205.
84/7 vs NZ batting first.
 
honestbharani

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
The thing about Ponting at his best is unlike Lara who is the really really cool heel you actually end up cheering, he was the quintessential mid nougties Triple H kinda heel. His demeanour was ****y as hell and it seemed there was no way you can get past him and he just sucked all the hope out of you. You soo want him beat and yet you know he can't be. If Lara at his best made the opposition look helpless, Ponting at his best made the opposition fans feel helpless.
 
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