Ponting still has Test ambitions

Published on 22/02/2012 00:00

RICKY Ponting, Australia’s most successful one-day cricketer, has accepted that his limited overs international career is over, but said he wanted to continue in Test cricket and hoped to play in the 2013 Ashes.

While Don Bradman remains Australia’s greatest ever cricketer, Ponting is without peer in the 50-over game having scored 13,704 runs in 375 matches at an average of 42. He won three World Cups in his 17-year career, two as captain.

The end for the second-most prolific batsman of all time in limited overs internationals was signalled when he was dropped on Monday after making 18 runs in five games in the ongoing Tri-series against India and Sri Lanka.

“It’s a bit hard to say I’ve retired given I’ve been dropped but I don’t expect to play one-day international cricket any more and I’m sure the selectors don’t expect to pick me either,” the 37-year-old told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“I have been dropped, which is disappointing but I accept that.

“My performances over the last five games haven’t warranted me being there. This is closure on my one-day international career but it’s certainly not closure on my international career.”