Ponting: The marked man

May it be pulling a charged up Makhaya Ntini for a six to guide his team to a fabulous victory in his centenary Test match, or decimating the Indian bowlers at the Wanderers in the 2003 World Cup Final, there is little that Ricky Ponting hasn’t achieved in his career.

It is not a stealthy assessment but a methodical string of failures from ‘Punter’ on Indian conditions that has indeed put all the more pressure on him as he prepares for his fourth Test tour of India. It is no secret – Ponting averages 12.08 runs per innings here.

The most gripping aspect of Ponting’s performance is that he has invariably faced problems while coming up against Harbhajan Singh. The 2008-09 series in India is surely Ponting’s very last chance to redeem himself and give it right back to the ‘turbanator’.

We asked a few Australian cricketers the reason for Ponting’s consistent failures.

Former Australia fast bowler Damien Fleming stressed on the fact that Ponting’s biggest problem over the years has been when he has had to come up against Harbhajan Singh on crumbling Indian pitches. “I reckon if I was India I’d get all their bowlers to put a turban on their head since Ponting has had such a nightmare against Harbhajan over the years! It’s a funny one," Fleming told cricketnirvana.com

It seems like India may very well take Fleming’s advice. The off-spinner has dismissed Ponting more than any other batsman in his career tally of 291 Test wickets.

Ponting missed most of the Tests on his last tour of India with deputy Adam Gilchrist stepping into the shoes of skipper. Fleming reckons that Ponting could have scored heavily during Australia’s first Test series win in India in over 35 years. “In 2004, he was in supreme form going into the series but was injured and played just the solitary Test. In sport, in general, you have teams that you go better against. There is something about his career while playing in India. I feel it will motivate him more on this tour.”

Simply turbanated

Ponting versus Harbhajan (The eight dismissals)

2000-01 Mumbai Test (first innings) Having bowled the Indians out for a paltry 176, the Australians were struggling at 98-4 with the spinners getting into the act. The start of the greatest Test series ever and one that saw the birth of Harbhajan Singh as a world class performer saw him nab Ponting for a duck on this occasion. Ponting was caught at forward short-leg.

2000-01 Kolkata Test (first innings) It was almost destined when Ponting emerged as the first of the three consecutive wickets claimed by Harbhajan in this historic Test match. The off-spinner became the first Indian to claim a hat-trick in Tests. Ponting tried to play a regular off-spinner from Harbhajan towards the on-side but got wrapped on the pads only to be given out leg before wicket.

2000-01 Kolkata Test (second innings) Chasing the leather for two full days thanks to an epic show from Laxman and Dravid, the frustrated Aussies came out to bat and faced the music against Harbhajan Singh. Ponting lasted just three deliveries before edging one to Silly Point. It was a sharp delivery that spun back in but Ponting held his crease and paid the price.

2000-01 Chennai Test (first innings) The series-deciding Test match at Chepauk was dominated by the Australians on the first day but Harbhajan started to spin it back for the hosts as the game progressed. The first session of the second day witnessed one of the most catastrophic collapses as Australia stumbled from 340-3 to 391 all out. On paper, the dismissal ‘stumped’ implies an aggressive batsman failing to make his ground, but in this case Ponting was stumped out of his crease when drawn forward by a beauty. It was just the second delivery that he had faced.

2000-01 Chennai Test (second innings) It was Ponting’s very last opportunity for redemption in the action-packed series but it was not to be. He even smashed a six off Harbhajan to send out strong signals but he got his bad and pad too close to the ball and edge one to Dravid at first slip. It was the perfect ending – five out of six to Harbhajan.

2007-08 Melbourne Test (second innings) Australia were firmly in control of the first Test of the series but Ponting was yet to get amongst the runs. With a massive lead already in their possession, Ponting came out to bat and faced just four deliveries from Harbhajan before edging one to Dravid at first slip. The ball pitched outside off stump and turned into the Aussie captain who opened the face of his bat and paid the price, yet again.

2007-08 Sydney Test (first innings) Quite easily the most controversial India-Australia Test match of all time fittingly witnessed a stunning display between bat and ball. Australia were struggling at 27-2 as captain Ponting came out and looked in fine form. He was particularly aggressive against Harbhajan, smashing as many as four boundaries off his biggest nemesis. It was a delivery that pitched on middle stump and spun in sharply with Ponting attempting to guide it down mid-wicket. He missed and was trapped LBW. Television replays revealed that he had got a huge inside edge.

2007-08 Sydney Test (second innings) A golden ball duck against Harbhajan Singh set up the game beautifully for the visitors. The ball pitched on the off-stump line and induced Ponting to play at it towards the off-side where Laxman pounced on to a simple catch. The dismissal witnessed some of the greatest-ever celebrations with Harbhajan rolling on the floor and performing some acrobatic moves after nailing Punter yet again.

Simon Katich is another Australian batsman who is absolutely baffled at Ponting’s miserable performance in India. “Oh that is something none of us are able to figure out. He is such a tremendous batsman you know and the art of succeeding in India is to be patient. I feel Ricky knows a thing or two about conditions in India now and will fare better this time around,” the left-handed batsman told cricketnirvana.com

Time for revival

The batsman who hit the winning runs during the 1999 World Cup final against Pakistan, Darren Lehmann came out strongly in support of Ponting, claiming that the Aussie captain will finally do well. “I think he needs to get used to the wickets and the conditions. He is going to make a lot of runs in the forthcoming series,” an assertive Lehmann told cricketnirvana.com

Katich echoed Lehmann’s sentiments. “For most batsmen around the world, succeeding in India is the greatest achievement and knowing Ricky, he is itching to change this fact and get some runs under his belt,” he said.

Ponting in India

Tests: 8 | Runs: 172 | HS: 60 | Ave: 12 | 50: 1 | 100: 0