Birthday special: Ricky Ponting – Five top records held by the Aussie legend
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers the country have produced after the great Don Bradman. A prolific run-scorer with the bat and mercurial leader in the field, Ponting scaled great heights for the golden generation of the Australian cricket team. On the legendary Australian cricketer’s 48th birthday, we list some of his most iconic records at the highest level for Australia.
Most wins as captain in International cricket
Regarded as one of the best captains of all time, Ricky Ponting is the most successful skipper in the history of the game. He led Australia to consecutive World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007 and won a staggering 220 matches for Australia across all formats of the game. Only India’s MS Dhoni has led his side more times than Ponting in international cricket.
Three consecutive World Cup victories
Ricky Ponting is one of the only few players to have won the prestigious World Cup trophy on three occasions. Having participated in three World Cups for Australia, Ponting finished on the winning side on three consecutive occasions, in 1999, 2003, and 2007. Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath are the two other players to have three WC trophies to their names.
Third leading run-scorer in international cricket
While Ponting is most recognized more his exploits as the captain of Australia, his achievements as a batter do not often get recognition. With 27483 runs to his name for Australia across all formats, he is the third-leading run-scorer in international cricket, behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Third-most centuries in international cricket
Another proud record that Ricky Ponting, the batter, holds in international cricket is his record of 71 centuries for Australia. His unprecedented record is only bested by India’s Sachin Tendulkar (100) and Virat Kohli (80).
21 consecutive wins in ODIs as captain
Ricky Ponting’s record as a captain is well-documented. However, one record that ranks probably the highest is his record 21 consecutive victories in ODIs as captain of Australia. The run started with a victory against rivals England on 11 January 2003 and stretched up until their loss to the West Indies on 25 May 2003. The run included Ponting’s first World Cup title as captain of the national team in South Africa.
