why ponting is the right choice for the 'player of the decade'...

shared by straight point on Saturday, January 16, 2010

the player of the decade title is for the one who really left the indisputable impressions on the game apart from merely contributing towards the team win as a batsman, bowler or as an allrounder... and for this simple fact only ponting deserved to be the player of the decade...

ricky ponting was one of the best batsman of the decade was never in doubt but his real worth as player and his contributions towards the game came to the fore when he was made captain of the australia team...

earlier captain's task used to be perceived as the player who leads the team by his exemplary behavior not only in the field but off field as well... the one who tries to win the game for his team by playing 'hard but fair' without disrespecting opponent... but ponting changed all that for once and all...

now apart from leading the team... captain must have a corporate meeting almost after every ball with his bowlers specially when the things are not going their way... should call each fielder to ask his well being before the next ball could be bowled... have an impromptu discussions with umpires about the state of affairs... convert the art of sledging into the art of abusing without ever being caught... barge at the batsman along with his bowler after getting him dismissed at the top of his voice and impressions... keep the match referee and third umpire busy by claiming bump catches... in fact sometimes even become an umpire and declare batsman out... to help out the system...

no wonder ponting has the most appearances before the match referees than all other captains put together past decade... but make no mistake... all that was done in the spirit of the game for we would have never known the intricacies of how system works...

had ponting not taken the lead and responsibility on himself to highlight the obvious flaws of the system or how to work around it... the game would have been poorer and dull... for he invited more debates and arguments than any other player in the history of game... the game became more interesting even off field...

although there were voices in his home country about ponting being the worst behaved australian player and captain not so long ago... but it was the icc and cricinfo experts who knew the real worth of him and acknowledged his selfless contributions and impact on the game the way no other player could manage to do so consistently throughout the decade...

» on bored:
player of decadent...
but even all his contributions paled in comparison of what he did in india which eventually decisively tilted the tide in his favor... the unprecedented sacrifice he made to uphold the spirit of the game and its laws...

it takes special heart to sacrifice a test win (and probably the series) specially against the bitterest rivals... india... to maintain the over rates and putting the spirit of the game and its laws above a mere test win... and just for this sacrifice only... he deserved to be awarded the player of the decade...

9 comments:

Rob said...

I suppose a more obvious question is "who else" other than Ponting. Kallis was in the frame, can't say I fancied that though.

Vikas Yadav said...

I think that time has come when Cricket the game of Gentleman's need to give points based on Team's behaviour,it's politeness etc.Team's performance on paper is sometime tells different story what they actually worth morally.

Mahek said...

The ICC didn't bestow this honour upon him. It was the cricinfo panel.

straight point said...

rob... when you start to think if this not then who else... that is first step towards making a compromise...

straight point said...

vikas... but game has moved on from these principals and in ponting we indeed have a player of the decade representing where the game is heading...

straight point said...

thanks mahek for pointing the error... i have corrected it...

but what about PoD...?

Mahek said...

You already know who I would have voted for.

Mock Wah said...

Kallis has performed with bat & ball, there are others with the ball.. i just feel for Kallis though..

straight point said...

mwsw... if only he showed some traits of 'gentlemen' cricket...

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