Ponting expects Pant to have a huge impact at T20 World Cup
The swashbuckling left-hander made 446 runs at an average of 40.54 and a strike-rate of 155.40 while claiming a joint-high 16 dismissals with the gloves during IPL 2024.
Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody stated that legendary stumper Rod Marsh had picked Ricky Pointing as a future star even when Ponting was a teenager.
“When Ponting was part of the Australian academy even before he played a first-class game – Rod Marsh was head of the academy – and he told me that he had never seen anyone pick length as quickly as Ponting did,” Moody said during the show ‘Cricket Inside Out’ on the ICC website.
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“This was when Ponting was a 16-year-old kid and Marsh had said this kid is going to be a superstar.”
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Notably, Ponting did not have the best of international debuts as he managed to score just a run in an ODI against South Africa in February 1995. Later in the year, he made 95 against Sri Lanka on Test debut.
Moody stated that Ponting initially had issues with temperament
“Ponting was a rough diamond when he first arrived. He made mistakes like we all have but he has learnt from them and evolved into a match-winner. He became one of the most respected Australian batsmen, captain, commentator and now a coach,” Moody added.
Ponting, as we know now, went on to become Australia’s all-time highest run-scorer in ODIs and Tests. He also led his team to World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007.
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