Ricky Ponting

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Lore & Background

Ponting made his first-class debut for Tasmania in November 1992, becoming the youngest Tasmanian to play in a Sheffield Shield match. He made his ODI debut in 1995 during a quadrangular tournament in New Zealand against South Africa. He is Australia's leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in July 2018. He is the current assistant coach of the Australian national men's cricket team, appointed in February 2019.

In Their Own Story

In November 1994, playing for Tasmania against Western Australia at Bellerive Oval, Ponting scored 211 runs. This was his fifth successive century against Western Australia, making him only the second batsman after Sir Donald Bradman to achieve such a feat in Shield history. Just ten days later, he was named in the Australian XI to face England at the same venue as practice for an upcoming tour. His early domestic form saw him score 161 runs in a crucial match against South Australia to help Tasmania qualify for the final, though they ultimately lost. By the end of his first full season, he had scored 781 runs at an average of 48.81. In 1993, during an academy tour of India and Sri Lanka, he reached 99 not out in a one-day game in Colombo, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer on the tour behind Justin Langer.

Reader's Guide

Ponting is a specialist right-handed batsman, excellent slip fielder, and very occasional bowler. He led Australia to their second 5–0 Ashes win, victory at the 2003 and 2007 Cricket World Cups, and consecutive ICC Champions Trophy victories in 2006 and 2009. He is one of the most successful Test captains of all time, with 48 victories in 77 Tests. As a player, he is the only cricketer in history to be involved in 100 Test victories and was involved in the most ODI victories as a player, with 262 wins.

Did You Know?

• Ponting is the only cricketer in history to be involved in 100 Test victories.
• He scored twin centuries in a Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia, becoming the youngest batsman to do so in Shield history.
• He retired from Test cricket in November 2012 after his 168th Test, equalling the Australian record held by Steve Waugh.
• His uncle Greg Campbell played Test cricket for Australia in 1989 and 1990.