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My worst match as captain: Ponting
Our Correspondent

Ricky Ponting
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October 21, 2008 15:26 IST
Last Updated: October 21, 2008 15:29 IST

A humiliating defeat followed by a rigorous explanation session. It is not everyday that you find an Australian captain facing such a situation.

However, after Australia's [Images] 320-run thrashing against the hosts in the Mohali Test, he had to come face-to-face with exactly the same.

This was arguably Ponting's worst period as captain following the Ashes defeat against England [Images]. And to give him credit, he did put up a brave face and offered answers that were satisfactory, unlike his team's effort.

On the defeat:

Possibly, my worst match as a captain. I have not reflected too much on it as yet.

But from the first morning itself we were outplayed. They took the momentum away from us right from the start and we were always trying to come back during the match. They were aggressive and remained so right throughout the course of the game.

On what went wrong?

When the opposition team scores 450+ in the first innings, the only way to respond is by putting up a good score yourself. We came up short in this regard.

From there on we had to do everything perfectly, but we failed to do that. As a captain I have to accept that.

Back-to-back Tests are always tough. We would take a couple of days' back and think as individuals, what we did and what we didn't and then return as a team. I have full confidence in the group and we are capable of bouncing back.

On the failure of players:

A lot of players failed to achieve as individuals. Why only single out Matt (Hayden) and Brett (Lee)? Even I haven't performed after that first innings century in Bangalore.

Our fast bowlers have to stand up and perform as we don't have a match winning spinner.

At the end of the day you have to take away the lessons you have learnt from the game. We have some work to do ahead of Delhi [Images].

Regarding his rift with Brett Lee [Images]:

(Much to everyone's surprise, Lee was cooling his heels in the entire morning session on Monday when even a part-time bowler like Michael Hussey also got the chance to roll his arm over. Subsequently, both Ponting and Lee were engaged in an animated discussion, triggering speculations about a rift between the bowler and his captain.)

I have to clarify on that because people are making more about it than it actually is.

The Indians were scoring freely and we wanted to take the pace off the ball to make it difficult for them. Besides, we were down by at least five overs in the over-rate. So Hussey was bowled.

But I admit I was at fault for not communicating this to Brett. There's nothing else to it and I can tell you that there is nothing between me and Brett.

When you aren't at your best as a fast bowler, it becomes visible. Technically Brett is still good and his body is also in shape. It is just about a bit of fine-tuning.

On his nemesis Ishant Sharma: 

The only other bowler to have troubled me at any point is Harbhajan.

But Ishant is swinging the ball well and is definitely posing challenges. The ball he got me out in the second innings is one in which he would have got me out 95 out of 100 times.

Even the one in the first was good. He has got me out the last three times I have faced him. I need to do some work on him and got to find a way to combat him.




Complete coverage: Australia in India 2008

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