Ponting bids farewell to T20Is

Australia's cricket captain, Ricky Ponting, has said that he will no longer play in the T20I format of the game and conveyed his decision to the Australian management that consists of chief selector, Andrew Hilditch, coach Tim Nielsen and the vie-captain, Michael Clarke. He has also said that he will continue playing in the test matches and the ODIs. Vice-captain Michael Clarke, who is also leading the Aussies in the ODIs now, will now be the skipper of the T20I team, while Ponting will continue to remain the leader in the five-day format and the ODIs. However, it is not yet not been made official as to who would lead the Aussies in the T20I format.

Ponting said, "As I said after the fifth Test in London, I am hoping to continue playing Test cricket for as long as possible and retiring from the Twenty20 format gives me the best chance of doing this. I will now have set periods of rest throughout the Australian summer and while touring which I feel will be very beneficial."

Already Ponting had gone back home after at the end of the Ashes, and not featured in the two T20Is and the first few ODIs of the England tour. He had lost the Ashes 2-1, and despite knowing that it was a trifle difficult to visualise, had expressed his desire to come back in the 2013 version of the Ashes in England. The retirement from T20Is will now extend his test match and ODI careers.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly had also done the same when the T20Is had just about made their mark, by pulling out of the ICC World T20 format to prolong their careers in the other formats of the game. However, all three of them still play in the Indian Premier League. Ponting has also clarified that he will continue to fulfil his IPL contract which will last for at least one more season for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ever since the inception of the T20Is, and apart from the first game where he smashed a 98 against the Kiwis, he had struggled to get going in the format and hadn't done too well. Australian Cricket Board's CEO, James Sutherland said, "We are very supportive of the decision Ricky has made and understanding of the reasons behind it." He also said that while Ponting would be a huge loss to the Australian T20I side, it will provide opportunity to many a youngster to shine in that format.

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