Australia's cricketers in front of Ricky Ponting are "like eight-year-old girls around Justin Bieber", feels the team's World Cup skipper Aaron Finch about the batting great, whose mere presence gives them a fillip.

In February, Ponting was appointed as an assistant coach for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/icc-world-cup-2019-all-teams-and-their-squad-list-211495#australia-211477">Australia's World Cup campaign</a>, specifically working with the limited overs batsmen.

Ponting has previously worked short-term with Australia's ODI and Twenty20 squads.

"The boys all want to impress 'Punter'," Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.Com.Au.

"Everyone wants to impress Punter, you should see them - it's like eight-year-old girls around Justin Bieber when Punter's around the changeroom," he said, drawing comparisons between Ponting and the famous Canadian singer-songwriter.

"It's embarrassing, but it's great," Finch said of the legend who won the World Cup three times including twice as captain.

After a tough series at home against India, Australia turned things around and registered victories in India and against Pakistan.&nbsp;

Finch played his part in the revival of fortunes, forming a fine opening partnership with Usman Khwaja.

Since making a drought-breaking 93 against India at Ranchi, Finch had three big scores and his team eight consecutive wins.

"That was really exciting for me, it meant so much to see how happy others were for me to get some runs," he said.

"The lessons that I learned and the support that I got from players and everyone was unbelievable, and it really makes you think about the care that there is for the individual player."

Finch admitted there were "a few scars" noticeable among the members of the ODI outfit which had been involved in the preceding South Africa Test campaign that was marred by the ball-tampering saga, and that it took the new-look squad some time to find its feet.&nbsp;

Australia's cricketers in front of Ricky Ponting are "like eight-year-old girls around Justin Bieber", feels the team's World Cup skipper Aaron Finch about the batting great, whose mere presence gives them a fillip.

Australia's cricketers in front of Ricky Ponting are "like eight-year-old girls around Justin Bieber", feels the team's World Cup skipper Aaron Finch about the batting great, whose mere presence gives them a fillip. In February, Ponting was appointed as an assistant coach for Australia's World Cup campaign, specifically working with the limited overs batsmen. Ponting has previously worked short-term with Australia's ODI and Twenty20 squads. "The boys all want to impress 'Punter'," Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.Com.Au. "Everyone wants to impress Punter, you should see them - it's like eight-year-old girls around Justin Bieber when Punter's around the changeroom," he said, drawing comparisons between Ponting and the famous Canadian singer-songwriter. "It's embarrassing, but it's great," Finch said of the legend who won the World Cup three times including twice as captain. After a tough series at home against India, Australia turned things around and registered victories in India and against Pakistan. Finch played his part in the revival of fortunes, forming a fine opening partnership with Usman Khwaja. Since making a drought-breaking 93 against India at Ranchi, Finch had three big scores and his team eight consecutive wins. "That was really exciting for me, it meant so much to see how happy others were for me to get some runs," he said. "The lessons that I learned and the support that I got from players and everyone was unbelievable, and it really makes you think about the care that there is for the individual player." Finch admitted there were "a few scars" noticeable among the members of the ODI outfit which had been involved in the preceding South Africa Test campaign that was marred by the ball-tampering saga, and that it took the new-look squad some time to find its feet.

In Ponting's presence, Australian players are like 8-year-old girls around Justin Bieber: Aaron Finch

With just 21 days left for the twelfth edition of cricket World Cup, we take a look at the past captains who have successfully led their teams to World Cup glory and lifted the illustrious trophy. &nbsp;

Only two captains have won the world cup two times, Ricky Ponting for Australia and Clive Lloyd for West Indies.&nbsp;

Australia was the first team to win the three consecutive World Cups and is also the only team to win this tournament five times.

Here's a list of World Cup winning captains:&nbsp;

Clive Lloyd&nbsp; 
The West Indies captain has led his team to lift the World Cup twice.

Sir Lloyd led the Windies to victories in the opening edition of the World Cup in 1975 as well as the following World Cup in 1979.&nbsp;

Kapil Dev 
Captain of the Indian team, Kapil Dev lifted the World Cup in 1983 defeating the mighty West Indies.

India shocked the world under the charismatic captaincy of Kapil Dev, who took the catch of Clive Lloyd that changed the game in India's favour.&nbsp;

Alan Border 
The Australian captain was leading a fairly inexperienced team and they were not considered favourites at the start of the tournament.

But Border's leadership helped Australia lift the World Cup in 1987.

Imran Khan&nbsp; 
Khan led the Pakistan team to their first and only win at the World Cup in 1992.

Pakistan beat England in the final and Khan was the highest scoring batsman for the team.

Arjuna Ranatunga&nbsp; 
The Sri-Lankan team led by Ranatunga won their first World Cup in 1996 playing against Australia.

Ranatunga scored a century in the Final and the winning runs were scored off his bat too.

Steve Waugh 
The Australian captain played the innings of the tournament, saving his team an early exit from the Cup.

Playing against South Africa in the semi-finals, he scored 120 after an early collapse of the team.

He went on to lead his team to win the World Cup.

Ricky Ponting 
The only other captain to have led his team to lift the World Cup twice after Clive Lloyd is Ricky Ponting.

Under his captaincy in both the World Cups, Australia did not lose even a single match and went on to win unbeaten.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni 
India's long wait for their second World Cup ended under the captaincy of MS Dhoni in 2011.

Having led the Indian side to win the 2007 &nbsp;World T20 title, Dhoni now had the experience of four years which showed in the World Cup 2011.

Dhoni's winning six to bring up the victory in the 49th over remains one of the greatest moments in the history of Indian cricket.&nbsp;

Michael Clarke 
Clarke led the Australian team to win their 5th World Cup title in 2015.

In the final, the Australians took hold of the game early and dismissed New Zealand for 183, before chasing the target easily under the leadership of Clarke.

The captains of the participating teams for the upcoming Cricket World Cup are:&nbsp;

India - &nbsp;Virat Kohli

Australia - Aaron Finch

England - Eoin Morgan

Pakistan - Sarfaraz Ahmed

Afghanistan - Gulbadin Naib

Bangladesh - Mashrafe Mortaza

New Zealand - Kane Williamson

South Africa &nbsp;- Faf du Plessis

Sri Lanka &nbsp;- Dimuth Karunaratne

West Indies - Jason Holder

With just 21 days left for the twelfth edition of cricket World Cup, we take a look at the past captains who have successfully led their teams to World Cup glory and lifted the illustrious trophy.

With just 21 days left for the twelfth edition of cricket World Cup, we take a look at the past captains who have successfully led their teams to World Cup glory and lifted the illustrious trophy. Only two captains have won the world cup two times, Ricky Ponting for Australia and Clive Lloyd for West Indies. Australia was the first team to win the three consecutive World Cups and is also the only team to win this tournament five times. Here's a list of World Cup winning captains: Clive Lloyd The West Indies captain has led his team to lift the World Cup twice. Sir Lloyd led the Windies to victories in the opening edition of the World Cup in 1975 as well as the following World Cup in 1979. Kapil Dev Captain of the Indian team, Kapil Dev lifted the World Cup in 1983 defeating the mighty West Indies. India shocked the world under the charismatic captaincy of Kapil Dev, who took the catch of Clive Lloyd that changed the game in India's favour. Alan Border The Australian captain was leading a fairly inexperienced team and they were not considered favourites at the start of the tournament. But Border's leadership helped Australia lift the World Cup in 1987. Imran Khan Khan led the Pakistan team to their first and only win at the World Cup in 1992. Pakistan beat England in the final and Khan was the highest scoring batsman for the team. Arjuna Ranatunga The Sri-Lankan team led by Ranatunga won their first World Cup in 1996 playing against Australia. Ranatunga scored a century in the Final and the winning runs were scored off his bat too. Steve Waugh The Australian captain played the innings of the tournament, saving his team an early exit from the Cup. Playing against South Africa in the semi-finals, he scored 120 after an early collapse of the team. He went on to lead his team to win the World Cup. Ricky Ponting The only other captain to have led his team to lift the World Cup twice after Clive Lloyd is Ricky Ponting. Under his captaincy in both the World Cups, Australia did not lose even a single match and went on to win unbeaten. Mahendra Singh Dhoni India's long wait for their second World Cup ended under the captaincy of MS Dhoni in 2011. Having led the Indian side to win the 2007 World T20 title, Dhoni now had the experience of four years which showed in the World Cup 2011. Dhoni's winning six to bring up the victory in the 49th over remains one of the greatest moments in the history of Indian cricket. Michael Clarke Clarke led the Australian team to win their 5th World Cup title in 2015. In the final, the Australians took hold of the game early and dismissed New Zealand for 183, before chasing the target easily under the leadership of Clarke. The captains of the participating teams for the upcoming Cricket World Cup are: India - Virat Kohli Australia - Aaron Finch England - Eoin Morgan Pakistan - Sarfaraz Ahmed Afghanistan - Gulbadin Naib Bangladesh - Mashrafe Mortaza New Zealand - Kane Williamson South Africa - Faf du Plessis Sri Lanka - Dimuth Karunaratne West Indies - Jason Holder

From Clive Lloyd to Michael Clarke, a look back at Cricket World Cup winning captains

Delhi's fortune changed in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the team managing to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2012.&nbsp;

On April 28, the Shreyas Iyer-led team registered a comprehensive <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-delhi-storm-into-playoffs-after-defeating-bangalore-by-16-runs-214176">16-run victory over Virat Kohli's Bangalore</a> at the Feroz Shah Kotla, to seal their place in the playoffs.&nbsp;

With nine victories from 14 games, Delhi sit at the second place on the points table and are the top contenders to lift the IPL trophy for the first time

However, the team's advisor and mentor Sourav Ganguly feels that the journey for Delhi is still very long and the team has to work really hard to reach the finals. 
&nbsp; 
When asked how confident he is of Delhi winning the tournament, Ganguly in an exclusive to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/">wionews.com</a> said, "it's too early to say".&nbsp;

"It's too early to say anything. We have reached the knockout stage but still, the team has to work hard and play really well to reach the finals and win the tournament".

While some fanatic fans credit the change in name from Daredevils to Capitals the reason behind the team's brilliant performance, cricket experts feel it is the strategies of mentors Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting that did wonders for the team. &nbsp;

Talking about the tournament, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-delhi-register-5-wicket-victory-over-rajasthan-215951">Delhi chased down a target of 116 runs to defeat Rajasthan</a> by five wickets and tie on points with Chennai, who are sitting at the top of the table with 18 points.&nbsp;

With Kagiso Rabadda flying back home, it was left to the other Delhi Capitals bowlers to take charge. Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra bowled their hearts out to frustrate Rajasthan, who opted to bat first.

In batting, Rishabh Pant, who was not included in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kl-rahul-and-dinesh-karthik-in-rishabh-pant-out-as-indias-icc-world-cup-squad-announced-210575">India's 15-man squad for 2019 World Cup</a>, smashed a brilliant half-century to take his side to victory.

Pant remained unbeaten for 53 runs which came in 38 balls and included two boundaries and five huge sixes. &nbsp;

Delhi's fortune changed in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the team managing to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2012. On April 28, the Shreyas Iyer-led team registered a comprehensive 16-run victory over Virat Kohli's Bangalore at the Feroz Shah Kotla, to seal their place in the playoffs.

Delhi's fortune changed in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the team managing to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2012. On April 28, the Shreyas Iyer-led team registered a comprehensive 16-run victory over Virat Kohli's Bangalore at the Feroz Shah Kotla, to seal their place in the playoffs. With nine victories from 14 games, Delhi sit at the second place on the points table and are the top contenders to lift the IPL trophy for the first time However, the team's advisor and mentor Sourav Ganguly feels that the journey for Delhi is still very long and the team has to work really hard to reach the finals. When asked how confident he is of Delhi winning the tournament, Ganguly in an exclusive to wionews.com said, "it's too early to say". "It's too early to say anything. We have reached the knockout stage but still, the team has to work hard and play really well to reach the finals and win the tournament". While some fanatic fans credit the change in name from Daredevils to Capitals the reason behind the team's brilliant performance, cricket experts feel it is the strategies of mentors Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting that did wonders for the team. Talking about the tournament, Delhi chased down a target of 116 runs to defeat Rajasthan by five wickets and tie on points with Chennai, who are sitting at the top of the table with 18 points. With Kagiso Rabadda flying back home, it was left to the other Delhi Capitals bowlers to take charge. Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra bowled their hearts out to frustrate Rajasthan, who opted to bat first. In batting, Rishabh Pant, who was not included in India's 15-man squad for 2019 World Cup, smashed a brilliant half-century to take his side to victory. Pant remained unbeaten for 53 runs which came in 38 balls and included two boundaries and five huge sixes.

Exclusive: Sourav Ganguly on Delhi's chances of lifting IPL 2019 trophy

We are just 25 days away from the ICC World Cup 2019 but before we enter the tournament, let's take a look back at some of the best bowling and fielding records made in previous World Cups.&nbsp;

Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, who appeared in four World Cups, dominates the individual bowling records.&nbsp;

He holds the record of the best strike rate and economy rate among any other bowler.&nbsp;

He also is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament and has the best individual bowling figures.&nbsp;

Former Australians Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist have the best individual fielding records, along with Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara.&nbsp;

Ponting has taken the highest catches in World Cup history, on the other hand, wicketkeeper Gilchrist has made the most dismissals in a single match and the record of most dismissals by a wicketkeeper overall is held by Sangakkara.&nbsp;

Here's a list of some significant bowling and fielding records:

Most wickets- 71 
Australia's Glenn McGrath is the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history. With a total of 68 wickets, Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan is at number spot. &nbsp;

Average- 18.19 
McGrath also holds the record of best bowling average. Pakistan's Imran Khan has the second best bowling average. &nbsp;

Economy Rate- 3.24 
West Indies Andy Roberts holds the record for the best economy rate in the World Cup history. Ian Botham of England is at second spot with 3.43.&nbsp;

Strike Rate- 23.8 
Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga has the best strike rate and he has the chance to better it in the upcoming World Cup. Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has the second best strike rate. &nbsp;

Best bowling figures- 7/15 
Australia's McGrath also holds the record of best bowling figure. He created the record against Namibia in World Cup 2003.&nbsp;

Most wickets in consecutive balls- 4 vs South Africa&nbsp; 
Malinga made another record of taking most wickets in consecutive balls. In World Cup 2007, Malinga created a unique record against South Africa.&nbsp;

In the last 2 balls of the 45th over and first 2 balls of the 47th over- Malinga picked up the wickets of Pollock, Hall, Kallis &amp; Ntini making it 4 wickets in 4 consecutive deliveries.&nbsp;

Most dismissals (wicketkeeper)- 54 
Kumar Sangakkara holds the record of most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in World Cup.

Most catches (fielder)- 28 
Ricky Ponting created the records of taking most catches in the World Cup.

We are just 25 days away from the ICC World Cup 2019 but before we enter the tournament, let's take a look back at some of the best bowling and fielding records made in previous World Cups.

We are just 25 days away from the ICC World Cup 2019 but before we enter the tournament, let's take a look back at some of the best bowling and fielding records made in previous World Cups. Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, who appeared in four World Cups, dominates the individual bowling records. He holds the record of the best strike rate and economy rate among any other bowler. He also is the highest wicket-taker in the history of the tournament and has the best individual bowling figures. Former Australians Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist have the best individual fielding records, along with Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara. Ponting has taken the highest catches in World Cup history, on the other hand, wicketkeeper Gilchrist has made the most dismissals in a single match and the record of most dismissals by a wicketkeeper overall is held by Sangakkara. Here's a list of some significant bowling and fielding records: Most wickets- 71 Australia's Glenn McGrath is the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history. With a total of 68 wickets, Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan is at number spot. Average- 18.19 McGrath also holds the record of best bowling average. Pakistan's Imran Khan has the second best bowling average. Economy Rate- 3.24 West Indies Andy Roberts holds the record for the best economy rate in the World Cup history. Ian Botham of England is at second spot with 3.43. Strike Rate- 23.8 Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga has the best strike rate and he has the chance to better it in the upcoming World Cup. Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan has the second best strike rate. Best bowling figures- 7/15 Australia's McGrath also holds the record of best bowling figure. He created the record against Namibia in World Cup 2003. Most wickets in consecutive balls- 4 vs South Africa Malinga made another record of taking most wickets in consecutive balls. In World Cup 2007, Malinga created a unique record against South Africa. In the last 2 balls of the 45th over and first 2 balls of the 47th over- Malinga picked up the wickets of Pollock, Hall, Kallis & Ntini making it 4 wickets in 4 consecutive deliveries. Most dismissals (wicketkeeper)- 54 Kumar Sangakkara holds the record of most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in World Cup. Most catches (fielder)- 28 Ricky Ponting created the records of taking most catches in the World Cup.

Best bowling and fielding figures in World Cup history

With Delhi placed comfortably at the second spot in the ongoing IPL, head coach Ricky Ponting Friday said keeping faith in talented players like <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-ganguly-says-wow-ponting-feels-pant-is-on-different-planet-212873&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwifmeuLvu3hAhVC6XMBHRYOBvkQFjADegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2A6nqhhXb1R8OMo_6w6YOb">Rishabh Pant </a>has helped the team in finding the form at this crucial juncture of the competition.&nbsp;

"There have been questions asked about where we should have dropped certain players in some matches, but I believe when you have talented players in your squad, you just keep backing them", Ponting said.&nbsp;

We have players who can turn it around quite quickly as it takes just one inning or match to get going in a tournament like this," the 44-year-old Australian legend said.

"... Players like Rishabh might have had certain thoughts about World Cup selection, but to be honest, that 78 not out in the first match against Mumbai got us the win.

I'm glad he found form again against RR, and what you want from players like him in such a tournament is that they win you three or four matches each throughout the season, and he has won two games for us so far, and if he remains in form, he can get a couple of more wins."

Delhi&nbsp;now has 14 points from 11 matches, which include seven wins and four losses, and Ponting believes that his team is peaking at the right time.&nbsp;

"We have won the last four out of our five matches, and with three more matches to go, I feel we are going in the right direction'', Ponting said.&nbsp;

''I am happy that the team is peaking at the right time, with better communication amongst the group," he said.

Asked which victory he has enjoyed the most, Ponting said that the away win against&nbsp;Hyderabad by 39 runs was the sweetest in terms of turning it around from a losing situation.&nbsp;

"I really liked the Hyderabad win because we did not do much right in that match but still found a way to win. It was more the way we fought back, probably after their batting powerplay, they batted second and they were 60-0, and the game was starting to slip away but there were some really good signs in that game from our side," said the former Australia captain.

"The moments when we have been under pressure the most, that is when we have started to fight, and fight under pressure, and one thing that I have tried to say to the boys is that we do not lose a match until the last ball is bowled.

We saw that in our last match against Rajasthan as well.

We fought our way back into the match and then registered a win," Ponting&nbsp;added.

Delhi will&nbsp;play against&nbsp;Bangalore on Sunday.

With Delhi placed comfortably at the second spot in the ongoing IPL, head coach Ricky Ponting Friday said keeping faith in talented players like Rishabh Pant has helped the team in finding the form at this crucial juncture of the competition.

With Delhi placed comfortably at the second spot in the ongoing IPL, head coach Ricky Ponting Friday said keeping faith in talented players like Rishabh Pant has helped the team in finding the form at this crucial juncture of the competition. "There have been questions asked about where we should have dropped certain players in some matches, but I believe when you have talented players in your squad, you just keep backing them", Ponting said. We have players who can turn it around quite quickly as it takes just one inning or match to get going in a tournament like this," the 44-year-old Australian legend said. "... Players like Rishabh might have had certain thoughts about World Cup selection, but to be honest, that 78 not out in the first match against Mumbai got us the win. I'm glad he found form again against RR, and what you want from players like him in such a tournament is that they win you three or four matches each throughout the season, and he has won two games for us so far, and if he remains in form, he can get a couple of more wins." Delhi now has 14 points from 11 matches, which include seven wins and four losses, and Ponting believes that his team is peaking at the right time. "We have won the last four out of our five matches, and with three more matches to go, I feel we are going in the right direction'', Ponting said. ''I am happy that the team is peaking at the right time, with better communication amongst the group," he said. Asked which victory he has enjoyed the most, Ponting said that the away win against Hyderabad by 39 runs was the sweetest in terms of turning it around from a losing situation. "I really liked the Hyderabad win because we did not do much right in that match but still found a way to win. It was more the way we fought back, probably after their batting powerplay, they batted second and they were 60-0, and the game was starting to slip away but there were some really good signs in that game from our side," said the former Australia captain. "The moments when we have been under pressure the most, that is when we have started to fight, and fight under pressure, and one thing that I have tried to say to the boys is that we do not lose a match until the last ball is bowled. We saw that in our last match against Rajasthan as well. We fought our way back into the match and then registered a win," Ponting added. Delhi will play against Bangalore on Sunday.

IPL 2019: Keeping faith in match winners like Rishabh Pant is the key to Delhi's success, says Ricky Ponting

Rishabh Pant has attracted the attention of two legends at once -- Ricky Ponting calling him a cricketer "on a different planet" and Sourav Ganguly summing up his ultra-aggressive batting with a "wow".

Days after being <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-selection-thing-was-running-in-my-mind-says-rishabh-pant-212715">left out of India's World Cup squad</a> at the expense of Dinesh Karthik, Pant made a statement by guiding Delhi Capitals to a win over Rajasthan with a 36-ball 78 Monday night.

Mesmerised by the young batsman's range of strokes, former India captain and Delhi advisor Ganguly ran into the field and lifted Pant. Then, Ganguly tweeted, "Rishabh pant @RishabPant777@ParthJindal11 u deserve this .. U r wow."

Pant was in rampaging form as he smashed six boundaries and four sixes to help his team chase down a target of 192 with four balls to spare, the win has pushed Delhi to the top of the IPL standings.

Delhi head coach and former Australia captain Ponting was unshakeable in his belief that India erred in not picking him for the World Cup.

"I know how disappointed he was to miss out on the World Cup. In my opinion as well, I think India made the wrong choice there. I think he would have been absolutely devastating in English conditions through those middle over against spinners," Ponting said while speaking to the official broadcasters.

The two-time World Cup winning captain added, "Would have loved to see what he could have done in the World Cup. As I said at the time he was left out, he's got the potential to play three or four more World Cups if he keeps himself fit and healthy."

After the dismissal of senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pant played one of his most responsible innings in the ongoing IPL.

Ponting said, "Someone as explosive as Rishabh likes a bit more pace on the ball. And we saw that tonight. Once he gets those sort of wickets he's lethal. He got a wicket like that in Mumbai and he hit 70-odd off 20-odd balls.

"Rishabh himself, he is on a different planet. He is an ultra-talented guy. He is a real competitor and a winner. He loves these conditions. Some really good signs there going forward in the tournament."

Team mentor Ganguly also lavished rich praise on Pant, saying talented players like him should not be asked to change their game.

"Players like Rishabh Pant are genuine match winners. You don't want to tell them to change much. They might fail in four or five matches but on their day they can single-handedly win you matches, that is why they are important," Ganguly said during a post-match chat.&nbsp;

Rishabh Pant has attracted the attention of two legends at once -- Ricky Ponting calling him a cricketer "on a different planet" and Sourav Ganguly summing up his ultra-aggressive batting with a "wow".

Rishabh Pant has attracted the attention of two legends at once -- Ricky Ponting calling him a cricketer "on a different planet" and Sourav Ganguly summing up his ultra-aggressive batting with a "wow". Days after being left out of India's World Cup squad at the expense of Dinesh Karthik, Pant made a statement by guiding Delhi Capitals to a win over Rajasthan with a 36-ball 78 Monday night. Mesmerised by the young batsman's range of strokes, former India captain and Delhi advisor Ganguly ran into the field and lifted Pant. Then, Ganguly tweeted, "Rishabh pant @RishabPant777@ParthJindal11 u deserve this .. U r wow." Pant was in rampaging form as he smashed six boundaries and four sixes to help his team chase down a target of 192 with four balls to spare, the win has pushed Delhi to the top of the IPL standings. Delhi head coach and former Australia captain Ponting was unshakeable in his belief that India erred in not picking him for the World Cup. "I know how disappointed he was to miss out on the World Cup. In my opinion as well, I think India made the wrong choice there. I think he would have been absolutely devastating in English conditions through those middle over against spinners," Ponting said while speaking to the official broadcasters. The two-time World Cup winning captain added, "Would have loved to see what he could have done in the World Cup. As I said at the time he was left out, he's got the potential to play three or four more World Cups if he keeps himself fit and healthy." After the dismissal of senior opener Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Shreyas Iyer, Pant played one of his most responsible innings in the ongoing IPL. Ponting said, "Someone as explosive as Rishabh likes a bit more pace on the ball. And we saw that tonight. Once he gets those sort of wickets he's lethal. He got a wicket like that in Mumbai and he hit 70-odd off 20-odd balls. "Rishabh himself, he is on a different planet. He is an ultra-talented guy. He is a real competitor and a winner. He loves these conditions. Some really good signs there going forward in the tournament." Team mentor Ganguly also lavished rich praise on Pant, saying talented players like him should not be asked to change their game. "Players like Rishabh Pant are genuine match winners. You don't want to tell them to change much. They might fail in four or five matches but on their day they can single-handedly win you matches, that is why they are important," Ganguly said during a post-match chat.

IPL 2019: Ganguly says wow, Ponting feels Pant is on different planet

Rishabh Pant's exclusion from India's World Cup squad could prove to be a big gain for Delhi in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2019">Indian Premier League</a>, the franchise's head coach Ricky Ponting has said.

Dinesh Karthik pipped young Pant to the second wicketkeeper's spot in India's World Cup squad, which was announced on Monday.

With former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni the undisputed first-choice wicketkeeper, India's selectors preferred Karthik's experience to the raw aggression of the 21-year-old Pant.

"I had a quick chat with him (Pant) on Monday night, and he seems to have taken it quite well," Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ponting told reporters.

"He is obviously disappointed as he would have loved to be in the squad as a lot of other players would have as well. But the thing with him that he has to remember and we all have to remember is that he is still pretty young.

"He will have the opportunity to potentially play in three or four more World Cups over the course of his career."

Famed for his swashbuckling batting, Pant impressed in the test series in England and Australia and is perceived as a long-term replacement for Dhoni when the 37-year-old decides to quit limited-overs formats.

Ponting advised Pant to take the World Cup snub positively and concentrate on scoring heavily for his IPL franchise.

"But what might be a negative thing for him to not get picked in the Indian team, might turn out to be a very positive thing for the Delhi Capitals as he can totally focus on playing his best cricket for us," Ponting said.

"Like I said a few games ago, he is a match-winner and I’m sure he will come back strongly to win more matches for us. It is important that he focuses on the little things on the field that make him a really good player for us.

"There is nothing he can do now to get into that World Cup team, but he can definitely help the Delhi Capitals win some matches in the coming days which will help him boost his confidence for the future as well."

Pant's team are currently second in the IPL standings with 10 points from nine matches while champions Chennai top the leaderboard with 14 from 10.

Rishabh Pant's exclusion from India's World Cup squad could prove to be a big gain for Delhi in the ongoing Indian Premier League, the franchise's head coach Ricky Ponting has said.

Rishabh Pant's exclusion from India's World Cup squad could prove to be a big gain for Delhi in the ongoing Indian Premier League, the franchise's head coach Ricky Ponting has said. Dinesh Karthik pipped young Pant to the second wicketkeeper's spot in India's World Cup squad, which was announced on Monday. With former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni the undisputed first-choice wicketkeeper, India's selectors preferred Karthik's experience to the raw aggression of the 21-year-old Pant. "I had a quick chat with him (Pant) on Monday night, and he seems to have taken it quite well," Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ponting told reporters. "He is obviously disappointed as he would have loved to be in the squad as a lot of other players would have as well. But the thing with him that he has to remember and we all have to remember is that he is still pretty young. "He will have the opportunity to potentially play in three or four more World Cups over the course of his career." Famed for his swashbuckling batting, Pant impressed in the test series in England and Australia and is perceived as a long-term replacement for Dhoni when the 37-year-old decides to quit limited-overs formats. Ponting advised Pant to take the World Cup snub positively and concentrate on scoring heavily for his IPL franchise. "But what might be a negative thing for him to not get picked in the Indian team, might turn out to be a very positive thing for the Delhi Capitals as he can totally focus on playing his best cricket for us," Ponting said. "Like I said a few games ago, he is a match-winner and I’m sure he will come back strongly to win more matches for us. It is important that he focuses on the little things on the field that make him a really good player for us. "There is nothing he can do now to get into that World Cup team, but he can definitely help the Delhi Capitals win some matches in the coming days which will help him boost his confidence for the future as well." Pant's team are currently second in the IPL standings with 10 points from nine matches while champions Chennai top the leaderboard with 14 from 10.

Ricky Ponting hopes Pant's India snub will benefit Delhi in IPL

Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting&nbsp;on Thursday said that Rishabh&nbsp;Pant took his exclusion from the upcoming ICC World Cup "quite well'.

Ponting, who is Delhi's&nbsp;head coach, feels that his snub from the big tournament will motivate him to perform&nbsp;for Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp;

"I had a quick chat with him (Pant) on Monday night, and he seems to have taken it quite well," Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ponting told reporters.

"He is obviously disappointed as he would have loved to be in the squad as a lot of other players would have as well. But the thing with him that he has to remember and we all have to remember is that he is still pretty young.&nbsp;

"He will have the opportunity to potentially play in three or four more World Cups over the course of his career."

Dinesh Karthik was chosen over&nbsp;young Pant to the second wicketkeeper's spot considering the experience Kolkata skipper holds.&nbsp;

Pant, who&nbsp;made a name for himself in the test series in England and Australia, is often perceived as a replacement for Dhoni when the 37-year-old decides to end his innings.&nbsp;

"But what might be a negative thing for him to not get picked in the Indian team, might turn out to be a very positive thing for the Delhi as he can totally focus on playing his best cricket for us," Ponting said.&nbsp;

"Like I said a few games ago, he is a match-winner and I’m sure he will come back strongly to win more matches for us. It is important that he focuses on the little things on the field that make him a really good player for us.&nbsp;

"There is nothing he can do now to get into that World Cup team, but he can definitely help the Delhi win some matches in the coming days which will help him boost his confidence for the future as well."

Pant`s team are currently second in the IPL standings with 10 points from nine matches while defending champions Chennai top the leaderboard with 14 from 10.

Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday said that Rishabh Pant took his exclusion from the upcoming ICC World Cup "quite well'. Ponting, who is Delhi's head coach, feels that his snub from the big tournament will motivate him to perform for Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday said that Rishabh Pant took his exclusion from the upcoming ICC World Cup "quite well'. Ponting, who is Delhi's head coach, feels that his snub from the big tournament will motivate him to perform for Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL). "I had a quick chat with him (Pant) on Monday night, and he seems to have taken it quite well," Australia's former World Cup-winning captain Ponting told reporters. "He is obviously disappointed as he would have loved to be in the squad as a lot of other players would have as well. But the thing with him that he has to remember and we all have to remember is that he is still pretty young. "He will have the opportunity to potentially play in three or four more World Cups over the course of his career." Dinesh Karthik was chosen over young Pant to the second wicketkeeper's spot considering the experience Kolkata skipper holds. Pant, who made a name for himself in the test series in England and Australia, is often perceived as a replacement for Dhoni when the 37-year-old decides to end his innings. "But what might be a negative thing for him to not get picked in the Indian team, might turn out to be a very positive thing for the Delhi as he can totally focus on playing his best cricket for us," Ponting said. "Like I said a few games ago, he is a match-winner and I’m sure he will come back strongly to win more matches for us. It is important that he focuses on the little things on the field that make him a really good player for us. "There is nothing he can do now to get into that World Cup team, but he can definitely help the Delhi win some matches in the coming days which will help him boost his confidence for the future as well." Pant`s team are currently second in the IPL standings with 10 points from nine matches while defending champions Chennai top the leaderboard with 14 from 10.

Rishabh Pant took World Cup exclusion 'quite well', says Ricky Ponting

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams.&nbsp;

Hyderabad comfortably <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2019-hyderabad-beat-delhi-by-five-wickets-to-top-points-table-208025">beat Delhi by five wickets</a> on a track where run-scoring was difficult and suited the visiting team bowlers even more.&nbsp;

In fact, the former Australian captain made it a point to mention that inputs provided by the groundsmen was completely opposite to how the pitch played out.&nbsp;

"I think it is fair to say that the wicket surprised us a lot. Talking to the groundsmen before the match, we thought this would be the best pitch that we had by far but it was the worse. You saw how little it bounced and how slow it was," Ponting told reporters after the match.&nbsp;

Hyderabad's Afghan spin duo of Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan took three wickets amongst them, giving away only 39 runs in their combined eight overs.&nbsp;

"Look, at the end of the day, it is the same pitch for both teams but if you would have asked me, would I have wanted to play Sunrisers on that type of pitch? I mean, there couldn't have been a different wicket where you would have wanted to play Sunrisers on," Ponting smiled as he answered but his anger was palpable.&nbsp;

He then explained that how the slowness of nature took his team's pacers like Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada out of the equation and in turn helped their seamers, Sandeep Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.&nbsp;

"It (Pitch) absolutely suited their game. They have great spinners and all their seamers just bowled slower balls. And on that wicket, when you bowl slower balls it is near impossible to hit," he reasoned.&nbsp;

The coach then said that if the nature of the Kotla track remains same during the remaining four home games, he will have to seriously think about his team combination.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"But if the wicket is going to remain like this, then we have to think about our selection in our team as well. Maybe our bowlers were not suited to that wicket today but it was not what we expected so we are as surprised as anybody else."&nbsp;

However, Ponting put up a brave face after the team's third defeat and expected the talented bunch of players to bounce back.&nbsp;

"It is not the end of the world by any stretch of imagination. We have a good mix of experience with Shikhar and Morris. Even Rishabh (Pant) and Shreyas (Iyer) have played 4-6 editions of IPL, so they are not inexperienced," he said.&nbsp;

Even though he was livid with the track on offer, Ponting admitted that his team has not "played the conditions better" with visiting teams dominating them.&nbsp;

"This is our home ground and we need to play these conditions better than the opposition and two of three games our opposition has played better than us, so we definitely have to improve there. We will leave no stones unturned to make sure we are well prepared for the next game."&nbsp;

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams.

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting was furious with the Feroz Shah Kotla ground staff, who provided the home team with a pitch that proved to be more helpful for the Hyderabad during the IPL encounter between two teams. Hyderabad comfortably beat Delhi by five wickets on a track where run-scoring was difficult and suited the visiting team bowlers even more. In fact, the former Australian captain made it a point to mention that inputs provided by the groundsmen was completely opposite to how the pitch played out. "I think it is fair to say that the wicket surprised us a lot. Talking to the groundsmen before the match, we thought this would be the best pitch that we had by far but it was the worse. You saw how little it bounced and how slow it was," Ponting told reporters after the match. Hyderabad's Afghan spin duo of Mohammed Nabi and Rashid Khan took three wickets amongst them, giving away only 39 runs in their combined eight overs. "Look, at the end of the day, it is the same pitch for both teams but if you would have asked me, would I have wanted to play Sunrisers on that type of pitch? I mean, there couldn't have been a different wicket where you would have wanted to play Sunrisers on," Ponting smiled as he answered but his anger was palpable. He then explained that how the slowness of nature took his team's pacers like Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada out of the equation and in turn helped their seamers, Sandeep Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. "It (Pitch) absolutely suited their game. They have great spinners and all their seamers just bowled slower balls. And on that wicket, when you bowl slower balls it is near impossible to hit," he reasoned. The coach then said that if the nature of the Kotla track remains same during the remaining four home games, he will have to seriously think about his team combination. "But if the wicket is going to remain like this, then we have to think about our selection in our team as well. Maybe our bowlers were not suited to that wicket today but it was not what we expected so we are as surprised as anybody else." However, Ponting put up a brave face after the team's third defeat and expected the talented bunch of players to bounce back. "It is not the end of the world by any stretch of imagination. We have a good mix of experience with Shikhar and Morris. Even Rishabh (Pant) and Shreyas (Iyer) have played 4-6 editions of IPL, so they are not inexperienced," he said. Even though he was livid with the track on offer, Ponting admitted that his team has not "played the conditions better" with visiting teams dominating them. "This is our home ground and we need to play these conditions better than the opposition and two of three games our opposition has played better than us, so we definitely have to improve there. We will leave no stones unturned to make sure we are well prepared for the next game."

Delhi coach Ricky Ponting blasts Feroz Shah Kotla track

In-form batsman Usman Khawaja should be part of Australia's World Cup plans despite the imminent returns of Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain Ricky Ponting has said.

Khawaja struck 383 runs, including two centuries, in Australia's 3-2 series win over India earlier this month and Ponting is of the view that the left-hander opener had earned his place at the World Cup.

"I think we all saw over the last few weeks just how skilful a player Usman Khawaja is... and I think when you see him play like that it just makes you wonder why he doesn't do it a bit more regularly," Ponting told reporters on Tuesday.

"I would be surprised if Khawaja wasn't in the (World Cup) squad. Khawaja could probably slot down at three when Warner comes in and Steve Smith might bat at four or five or something just to shore up those middle overs."

Smith and Warner were suspended for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year and are set to be reintegrated into the team ahead of the May 30-July 14 World Cup in England and Wales.

Ponting, who led Australia to World Cup glory in 2003 and 2007, said current skipper Aaron Finch would continue to lead the side at this year's tournament but former captain Smith could still be counted for advice.

"(Smith) is still out on the field, so he can help Aaron Finch out," Ponting added. "I'd imagine that Aaron Finch would be leaning on Steve Smith a lot for a bit of advice, maybe leading into the games, as far as preparation is concerned."

In-form batsman Usman Khawaja should be part of Australia's World Cup plans despite the imminent returns of Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain Ricky Ponting has said.

In-form batsman Usman Khawaja should be part of Australia's World Cup plans despite the imminent returns of Steve Smith and David Warner, former captain Ricky Ponting has said. Khawaja struck 383 runs, including two centuries, in Australia's 3-2 series win over India earlier this month and Ponting is of the view that the left-hander opener had earned his place at the World Cup. "I think we all saw over the last few weeks just how skilful a player Usman Khawaja is... and I think when you see him play like that it just makes you wonder why he doesn't do it a bit more regularly," Ponting told reporters on Tuesday. "I would be surprised if Khawaja wasn't in the (World Cup) squad. Khawaja could probably slot down at three when Warner comes in and Steve Smith might bat at four or five or something just to shore up those middle overs." Smith and Warner were suspended for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year and are set to be reintegrated into the team ahead of the May 30-July 14 World Cup in England and Wales. Ponting, who led Australia to World Cup glory in 2003 and 2007, said current skipper Aaron Finch would continue to lead the side at this year's tournament but former captain Smith could still be counted for advice. "(Smith) is still out on the field, so he can help Aaron Finch out," Ponting added. "I'd imagine that Aaron Finch would be leaning on Steve Smith a lot for a bit of advice, maybe leading into the games, as far as preparation is concerned."

Despite Smith-Warner return, Ricky Ponting backs Usman Khawaja to make Australia's World Cup squad

WION Exclusive: Delhi Coach Ponting buoyant ahead of new IPL season

Former Australian&nbsp;cricketer Ricky Ponting has picked&nbsp;his favourites&nbsp;for ICC&nbsp;World Cup title while speaking in an exclusive interview to WION. The much-awaited tournament is scheduled to take place from May 30 to July 14.&nbsp;

Most of the spectators and analysts from the cricketing world&nbsp;have picked India, Australia, England as the title contenders. Now, Ponting has also&nbsp;shared his opinion on the same.&nbsp;

Ponting said that Australia should not get carried away after their recent away series win in India and&nbsp;added, "Australia are a very talented team and I expect them to reach the semis."&nbsp;

He reflected his view on India's chances, saying,&nbsp;"No need for India to panic after losing three ODI games in a row." But mentioned that India&nbsp;"have&nbsp;to sort their middle order batting" ahead of the tournament.&nbsp;

However, he backed England more considering their&nbsp;home conditions and their&nbsp;balanced squad. He said that the English team has got&nbsp;depth in the squad with&nbsp;in-form players.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ponting said that he is very excited for the upcoming cricketing&nbsp;months but&nbsp;believes that it is tough to foresee the winner of the cricket's extravaganza.&nbsp;

Watch the interview:&nbsp;

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Ahead of Indian Premier League 2019,&nbsp;Delhi Capitals head coach Ponting talked about his side's preparation and chances of winning the T20 league which will kick off from March 23.&nbsp;

The two-time World Cup winner Ponting said that Delhi Capitals&nbsp;is balanced&nbsp;team and has enough depth to excel.&nbsp;

He said, "I think we have got a very well-balanced squad."

"I&nbsp;think all squads end up looking good on paper. It is about how they&nbsp;play and how we prepare them, how we train them and&nbsp;how we ready them for the IPL with the difference between winning and not winning."&nbsp;

"I am excited with the squad and will look to play the first match," Ponting said. "Needs to have the flexibility to play different teams," he added.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, Delhi Capitals finished at the bottom of the points table in his first season in-charge but in the upcoming edition, they seek a change in fortunes as the franchise's new owners have changed their name from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals.&nbsp;

He said, "I am excited, it does feel like a really fresh start. The whole rebrand of Delhi Capitals is really exciting."&nbsp;

"We have got some exciting players to work with so I can not wait for the first game." He also added that the team has a balance of young and experienced players.&nbsp;

Delhi already has retained Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw at the time of auction and to boost the batting unit further, they traded batsman Shikhar Dhawan from Hyderabad for Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar and Shahbaz Nadeem.&nbsp;

DC also spend lavishly to pick South African player Colin Ingram which is a clear indication that the Delhi team has intended to strengthen their batting unit.

The bowling unit is a good balance of pace and spin. They already had retained&nbsp;Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichhane, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult.&nbsp;Besides, they purchased Ishant Sharma to add more fuel to the bowling unit.&nbsp;

Ponting also shared his&nbsp;concerns about players' workload ahead of the World Cup.&nbsp;He said&nbsp;that we have built the&nbsp;team considering all the possible factors. Like no Australian in the squad as they won't be available&nbsp;for&nbsp;the first two weeks also will leave early.&nbsp;

"Our aim is to win the IPL, and if we can manage the players and the combinations well throughout the tournament, it will turn out to be a very successful season for the Capitals," he said during press conference.&nbsp;

"We can achieve some pretty special things this season," he added.&nbsp;

Delhi will play their first match on March 24 against Mumbai In Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has picked his favourites for ICC World Cup title while speaking in an exclusive interview to WION. The much-awaited tournament is scheduled to take place from May 30 to July 14.

Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has picked his favourites for ICC World Cup title while speaking in an exclusive interview to WION. The much-awaited tournament is scheduled to take place from May 30 to July 14. Most of the spectators and analysts from the cricketing world have picked India, Australia, England as the title contenders. Now, Ponting has also shared his opinion on the same. Ponting said that Australia should not get carried away after their recent away series win in India and added, "Australia are a very talented team and I expect them to reach the semis." He reflected his view on India's chances, saying, "No need for India to panic after losing three ODI games in a row." But mentioned that India "have to sort their middle order batting" ahead of the tournament. However, he backed England more considering their home conditions and their balanced squad. He said that the English team has got depth in the squad with in-form players. Ponting said that he is very excited for the upcoming cricketing months but believes that it is tough to foresee the winner of the cricket's extravaganza. Watch the interview: × Ahead of Indian Premier League 2019, Delhi Capitals head coach Ponting talked about his side's preparation and chances of winning the T20 league which will kick off from March 23. The two-time World Cup winner Ponting said that Delhi Capitals is balanced team and has enough depth to excel. He said, "I think we have got a very well-balanced squad." "I think all squads end up looking good on paper. It is about how they play and how we prepare them, how we train them and how we ready them for the IPL with the difference between winning and not winning." "I am excited with the squad and will look to play the first match," Ponting said. "Needs to have the flexibility to play different teams," he added. Unfortunately, Delhi Capitals finished at the bottom of the points table in his first season in-charge but in the upcoming edition, they seek a change in fortunes as the franchise's new owners have changed their name from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals. He said, "I am excited, it does feel like a really fresh start. The whole rebrand of Delhi Capitals is really exciting." "We have got some exciting players to work with so I can not wait for the first game." He also added that the team has a balance of young and experienced players. Delhi already has retained Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw at the time of auction and to boost the batting unit further, they traded batsman Shikhar Dhawan from Hyderabad for Abhishek Sharma, Vijay Shankar and Shahbaz Nadeem. DC also spend lavishly to pick South African player Colin Ingram which is a clear indication that the Delhi team has intended to strengthen their batting unit. The bowling unit is a good balance of pace and spin. They already had retained Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichhane, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult. Besides, they purchased Ishant Sharma to add more fuel to the bowling unit. Ponting also shared his concerns about players' workload ahead of the World Cup. He said that we have built the team considering all the possible factors. Like no Australian in the squad as they won't be available for the first two weeks also will leave early. "Our aim is to win the IPL, and if we can manage the players and the combinations well throughout the tournament, it will turn out to be a very successful season for the Capitals," he said during press conference. "We can achieve some pretty special things this season," he added. Delhi will play their first match on March 24 against Mumbai In Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

England the team to beat at World Cup, Ricky Ponting tells WION

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting Tuesday said banned Steve Smith and David Warner's return won't be easy as he expects fan hostility and intense media scrutiny during the ICC World Cup in England, later this year.

Ponting, however, added that there won't be any internal hostility towards the former captain and vice-captain.

The two were banned for a period of 12 months for their in the aftermath of ball tampering incident against South Africa in Cape Town.&nbsp;

"I don't think it is much of a challenge internally around the players," Ponting told cricket.com.au.&nbsp;

"You'd like to think that those guys are having conversations now, so they're not leaving it to the last minute and just be exposed to this thing that could be derailing to a team.

"I'm sure this would have been talked about at a higher level for a long time - how do we integrate them back in? How do they fit in? How is it all going to be seamless?

"But the hardest part for those guys is going to be the public perception of us, especially in England. They`re coming back into a World Cup in the UK - they shouldn`t be expecting too many pats on the back over there," he said.

"They`re going to cop it everywhere they go. They`ve got to know that, they`ve got to accept that and understand that.

"The team needs to as well, because that could also be something that could be unsettling for a team," he added.

Despite their bans getting over before the fourth ODI in Dubai, the two&nbsp;weren't named in Australia's final World Cup buildup in the UAE, an upcoming five-match series against Pakistan,

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting Tuesday said banned Steve Smith and David Warner's return won't be easy as he expects fan hostility and intense media scrutiny during the ICC World Cup in England, later this year.

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting Tuesday said banned Steve Smith and David Warner's return won't be easy as he expects fan hostility and intense media scrutiny during the ICC World Cup in England, later this year. Ponting, however, added that there won't be any internal hostility towards the former captain and vice-captain. The two were banned for a period of 12 months for their in the aftermath of ball tampering incident against South Africa in Cape Town. "I don't think it is much of a challenge internally around the players," Ponting told cricket.com.au. "You'd like to think that those guys are having conversations now, so they're not leaving it to the last minute and just be exposed to this thing that could be derailing to a team. "I'm sure this would have been talked about at a higher level for a long time - how do we integrate them back in? How do they fit in? How is it all going to be seamless? "But the hardest part for those guys is going to be the public perception of us, especially in England. They`re coming back into a World Cup in the UK - they shouldn`t be expecting too many pats on the back over there," he said. "They`re going to cop it everywhere they go. They`ve got to know that, they`ve got to accept that and understand that. "The team needs to as well, because that could also be something that could be unsettling for a team," he added. Despite their bans getting over before the fourth ODI in Dubai, the two weren't named in Australia's final World Cup buildup in the UAE, an upcoming five-match series against Pakistan,

Steve Smith, David Warner return won't be easy, believes Ricky Ponting

Australia's new assistant coach Ricky Ponting believes the inclusion of Steve Smith and David Warner will help the nation shrug off a woeful run of form in one-day cricket and transform them into genuine contenders at the World Cup in England.

Smith and Warner's ball-tampering bans expire on March 29 and though the pair are struggling with elbow injuries, former captain Ponting said the presence of Australia's two top batsmen in England would boost their hopes of back-to-back titles.

"India and England are probably the two standout teams right now but if you add Warner and Smith back into that line-up, I think that team looks as strong as any," Ponting told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

"With the inclusion of two of the best one-day players in the world and a lot of experience, all of a sudden the team starts looking a lot better.

"I am not just saying that because I am one of the coaches, I actually said it when I wasn’t around the group.

"Conditions in England will suit our style of play ... I think Australia will be the one of the main contenders for sure."

Ponting has replaced Graeme Hick as batting coach on a short-term appointment for the World Cup which starts at the end of May.

Few in Australia would argue Aaron Finch's side could have a better mentor than the 44-year-old Ponting, who played in three of the nation's five World Cup triumphs and led the team to back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2007.

Australia have since slumped to sixth in the world rankings, losing their last six ODI series in succession in a miserable two-year period since defeating Pakistan at home in Jan. 2017.

More pain might be in store for Finch's squad in India this month where they will take on the world number two without first-choice bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Ponting, who joined local broadcaster Channel 7 as a cricket analyst last year, will not travel with the team in India for the five-match ODI series starting March 2, or for the following warmup series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates due to other commitments.

The UAE tour's dates are yet to be fixed but Smith and Warner's suspensions will rule them out for at least part of the series, leaving them to try to find form in the Indian Premier League which starts on March 23.

Ponting shrugged off Australia's injury worries and the idea of there being risk in rushing Smith and Warner into the team.

"We went to World Cups with Michael Bevan injured, Darren Lehmann suspended, Warney (Shane Warne) went home and Jason Gillespie went home," Ponting said.

"World Cups very rarely run exactly to plan.

"All the planning right now is we will have all those guys in the squad and if we do, it looks as good as any squad on paper."

Australia's new assistant coach Ricky Ponting believes the inclusion of Steve Smith and David Warner will help the nation shrug off a woeful run of form in one-day cricket and transform them into genuine contenders at the World Cup in England.

Australia's new assistant coach Ricky Ponting believes the inclusion of Steve Smith and David Warner will help the nation shrug off a woeful run of form in one-day cricket and transform them into genuine contenders at the World Cup in England. Smith and Warner's ball-tampering bans expire on March 29 and though the pair are struggling with elbow injuries, former captain Ponting said the presence of Australia's two top batsmen in England would boost their hopes of back-to-back titles. "India and England are probably the two standout teams right now but if you add Warner and Smith back into that line-up, I think that team looks as strong as any," Ponting told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday. "With the inclusion of two of the best one-day players in the world and a lot of experience, all of a sudden the team starts looking a lot better. "I am not just saying that because I am one of the coaches, I actually said it when I wasn’t around the group. "Conditions in England will suit our style of play ... I think Australia will be the one of the main contenders for sure." Ponting has replaced Graeme Hick as batting coach on a short-term appointment for the World Cup which starts at the end of May. Few in Australia would argue Aaron Finch's side could have a better mentor than the 44-year-old Ponting, who played in three of the nation's five World Cup triumphs and led the team to back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2007. Australia have since slumped to sixth in the world rankings, losing their last six ODI series in succession in a miserable two-year period since defeating Pakistan at home in Jan. 2017. More pain might be in store for Finch's squad in India this month where they will take on the world number two without first-choice bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Ponting, who joined local broadcaster Channel 7 as a cricket analyst last year, will not travel with the team in India for the five-match ODI series starting March 2, or for the following warmup series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates due to other commitments. The UAE tour's dates are yet to be fixed but Smith and Warner's suspensions will rule them out for at least part of the series, leaving them to try to find form in the Indian Premier League which starts on March 23. Ponting shrugged off Australia's injury worries and the idea of there being risk in rushing Smith and Warner into the team. "We went to World Cups with Michael Bevan injured, Darren Lehmann suspended, Warney (Shane Warne) went home and Jason Gillespie went home," Ponting said. "World Cups very rarely run exactly to plan. "All the planning right now is we will have all those guys in the squad and if we do, it looks as good as any squad on paper."

Australia can win at World Cup with Steve Smith, David Warner: Ricky Ponting

Former captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as an assistant coach of Australia's men's team for the 50-over World Cup in England later this year, the country's cricket board said on Friday.

The 44-year-old Ponting will work with Australia's batsmen for the May 30-July 14 tournament, with current batting coach Graeme Hick focussing on preparing the side for the Ashes tour in England, starting in August.

Ponting's appointment is the second major shakeup in Australia's backroom staff in as many days, with bowling coach David Saker resigning "effective immediately" on Thursday. Saker has been replaced temporarily by Troy Cooley.

Australia won their fifth World Cup title on home soil four years ago and head coach Justin Langer said that Ponting's experience in leading the team to two of those victories would be invaluable in England.

"Ricky knows what's required to win World Cups, and I know he will be a valuable mentor to not just the batting group, but the broader squad as we focus our attention on defending our World Cup title," Langer said.

"Ricky and I have worked together with the Australian men's team in the past, he is an extremely driven coach who is fully invested in the players development and improving Australian cricket.

"He has an impressive understanding of the game, he knows what's required to prepare and perform at the elite level, and we can't wait for him to get started working with the squad."

Ponting played 375 one-day internationals for Australia and led them to the World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007. He was also a member of Steve Waugh's winning side in 1999 - the last time the tournament was held in England.

As well as assisting the batsmen, Ponting will help Langer fine-tune the team's tactics and strategies, Cricket Australia's interim general manager of high-performance Belinda Clark said.

Clark said appointing Ponting for the World Cup would enable Hick to concentrate solely on helping Australia defend the Ashes against England.

"With two major events back to back we believe it is important to focus a number of staff specifically on one event," Clark said. "The appointment of Ricky is a part of this overall strategy."

Ponting has had short-term engagements with the Australian men's limited overs team in recent years and will begin his role after Australia's one-day series against India and Pakistan.

"I've enjoyed my previous short-term roles with the ODI and T20 teams but World Cups take on a whole different meaning for me," Ponting said.

"I have enormous confidence in the players available to the selectors and know we will be as tough to beat as any team, in this year's World Cup."

Former captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as an assistant coach of Australia's men's team for the 50-over World Cup in England later this year, the country's cricket board said on Friday.

Former captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as an assistant coach of Australia's men's team for the 50-over World Cup in England later this year, the country's cricket board said on Friday. The 44-year-old Ponting will work with Australia's batsmen for the May 30-July 14 tournament, with current batting coach Graeme Hick focussing on preparing the side for the Ashes tour in England, starting in August. Ponting's appointment is the second major shakeup in Australia's backroom staff in as many days, with bowling coach David Saker resigning "effective immediately" on Thursday. Saker has been replaced temporarily by Troy Cooley. Australia won their fifth World Cup title on home soil four years ago and head coach Justin Langer said that Ponting's experience in leading the team to two of those victories would be invaluable in England. "Ricky knows what's required to win World Cups, and I know he will be a valuable mentor to not just the batting group, but the broader squad as we focus our attention on defending our World Cup title," Langer said. "Ricky and I have worked together with the Australian men's team in the past, he is an extremely driven coach who is fully invested in the players development and improving Australian cricket. "He has an impressive understanding of the game, he knows what's required to prepare and perform at the elite level, and we can't wait for him to get started working with the squad." Ponting played 375 one-day internationals for Australia and led them to the World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007. He was also a member of Steve Waugh's winning side in 1999 - the last time the tournament was held in England. As well as assisting the batsmen, Ponting will help Langer fine-tune the team's tactics and strategies, Cricket Australia's interim general manager of high-performance Belinda Clark said. Clark said appointing Ponting for the World Cup would enable Hick to concentrate solely on helping Australia defend the Ashes against England. "With two major events back to back we believe it is important to focus a number of staff specifically on one event," Clark said. "The appointment of Ricky is a part of this overall strategy." Ponting has had short-term engagements with the Australian men's limited overs team in recent years and will begin his role after Australia's one-day series against India and Pakistan. "I've enjoyed my previous short-term roles with the ODI and T20 teams but World Cups take on a whole different meaning for me," Ponting said. "I have enormous confidence in the players available to the selectors and know we will be as tough to beat as any team, in this year's World Cup."

Former skipper Ricky Ponting named Australia's assistant coach for World Cup

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting Sunday slammed the current team for showing "no desperation" after Nathan Lyon decided against reviewing his lbw decision on day four of the fourth Test against India here.&nbsp;

Lyon was adjudged LBW after being hit on the pad off a Kuldeep Yadav delivery. He asked non-striker Mitchell Starc if he should opt for a review, but the duo decided against it despite two reviews remaining in their innings and only two wickets left.

At stumps on day four, Australia were bundled out for 300 in the first innings after which India enforced the follow-on. The hosts then came out to bat in the second innings, trailing by 322 runs.

India had piled up a mammoth 622 in their first innings.

"That dismissal actually says a lot to me about the mindset of this Australian team at the moment. There's no desperation there whatsoever," Ponting said on Channel Seven, one of the host broadcasters.

"Why wouldn't they have had a look at that? They've still got the two reviews up their sleeve. There had to be some sort of doubt in that," Ponting added.

The former three-time World Cup winning cricketer also slammed pacer Starc, who was at the non-stricker's end, for not intervening.

"Given out straight away and Mitchell Starc just puts his hand out and says 'oh well, it's not me, it's up to you to make (a call)".

"Well, unfortunately, when you're out there together it's a partnership. You've got to do whatever you can to try and save your mate. And there was absolutely none of that there," he added.

Replays suggested the ball would have probably struck Lyon outside the line of off stump and he may have been adjudged not out if DRS was taken.

"And as it's shown already that would have been given not out. Slack and not desperate enough. You can see where Mitchell Starc is standing at the non-striker's end," he added.&nbsp;

"One, look how wide he's standing. There's no need to be that wide in the first place. Nathan Lyon looks up, 'Oh what do you reckon?' 'Oh I don't know mate. Yeah I don't know. But let's not bother looking. We've only got two (reviews) up our sleeve," Ponting said.&nbsp;

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting Sunday slammed the current team for showing "no desperation" after Nathan Lyon decided against reviewing his lbw decision on day four of the fourth Test against India here.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting Sunday slammed the current team for showing "no desperation" after Nathan Lyon decided against reviewing his lbw decision on day four of the fourth Test against India here. Lyon was adjudged LBW after being hit on the pad off a Kuldeep Yadav delivery. He asked non-striker Mitchell Starc if he should opt for a review, but the duo decided against it despite two reviews remaining in their innings and only two wickets left. At stumps on day four, Australia were bundled out for 300 in the first innings after which India enforced the follow-on. The hosts then came out to bat in the second innings, trailing by 322 runs. India had piled up a mammoth 622 in their first innings. "That dismissal actually says a lot to me about the mindset of this Australian team at the moment. There's no desperation there whatsoever," Ponting said on Channel Seven, one of the host broadcasters. "Why wouldn't they have had a look at that? They've still got the two reviews up their sleeve. There had to be some sort of doubt in that," Ponting added. The former three-time World Cup winning cricketer also slammed pacer Starc, who was at the non-stricker's end, for not intervening. "Given out straight away and Mitchell Starc just puts his hand out and says 'oh well, it's not me, it's up to you to make (a call)". "Well, unfortunately, when you're out there together it's a partnership. You've got to do whatever you can to try and save your mate. And there was absolutely none of that there," he added. Replays suggested the ball would have probably struck Lyon outside the line of off stump and he may have been adjudged not out if DRS was taken. "And as it's shown already that would have been given not out. Slack and not desperate enough. You can see where Mitchell Starc is standing at the non-striker's end," he added. "One, look how wide he's standing. There's no need to be that wide in the first place. Nathan Lyon looks up, 'Oh what do you reckon?' 'Oh I don't know mate. Yeah I don't know. But let's not bother looking. We've only got two (reviews) up our sleeve," Ponting said.

Ricky Ponting lashes out at Australia for showing 'no desperation'

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting praised young wicketkeeper-batsman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=rishabh+pant">Rishabh Pant</a>, so much so that he called him "another" Adam Gilchrist after the Indian's blistering 159 in the fourth Test.&nbsp;

"He is a real talent and an incredibly good ball striker. He has got a really good game sense as well. I have been lucky enough to coach him at Delhi (Capitals)," said Ponting, who had worked with the Indian during his stint with Delhi franchise at the Indian Premier League.

"He has got to do a bit of work on his keeping and he will also become a better batsman.

"We talk about him in the commentary box and he is sort of like another Adam Gilchrist," Ponting told cricket.Com.Au.

Gilchrist, the legendary Australian wicket-keeper batsman, has played 96 Tests, scoring 5570 runs at an average of 47.6. He also represented his country in 287 ODIs, amassing 9619 runs at 35.89.

Watch: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-hilarious-song-composed-for-rishabh-pant-by-fans-188365">Hilarious song composed for Rishabh Pant by fans</a>

On Friday, Pant became the only Indian wicketkeeper to score a century on Australia soil when he smashed an unbeaten 159 and shared a 204-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja, as the visitors declared at 622 runs for seven.

The 21-year-old also surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 13-year-old record of highest individual Test score by an Indian wicketkeeper. The former India skipper had scored 148 runs against Pakistan in 2006.

Ponting believes Pant will score more Test centuries than his predecessor Dhoni.

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"We talk about MS Dhoni all the time and his impact on Indian cricket. He played a lot of Tests for India but made only six Test hundreds. This kid (Rishabh Pant) will make a lot more Test hundreds than that," Ponting said.&nbsp;

"He has already scored his second Test ton and a couple of 90s to go with it. Look he is someone who could play a lot of Test cricket for India across formats. Pant is only 21 and is already into his ninth Test."

Gilchrist also praised Pant for pacing his innings well.

"He played a beautiful innings today (Friday)," Gilchrist told foxsports.Com.Au.

"We probably all expected him to bat aggressively from ball one but he showed he can build an inning and then by the end of it allowed himself to play with all the freedom that we know he's got.

"It was entertaining. He's a cricketer that I would happily pay to watch."

Gilchrist believes Pant has the talent to become a successful Test cricketer.

"He's a cricketer that is at the start of his journey so he'll learn these particular parts of the game and he'll learn that there's always more time than what you think, but he's got a great foundation to be a successful Test cricketer," he said.

Though he shone with the bat, Pant's keeping wasn't always up to the mark as he dropped Usman Khawaja off Mohammed Shami late on the second day.

However, Gilchrist said Pant will become a reliable keeper as he learns from his mistakes.

"Although he's missed a few opportunities with the gloves, he's certainly held onto more than he's spilt. If he's prepared to work on his game, I'm sure he'll develop and become a really reliable keeper," Gilchrist said.

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting praised young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, so much so that he called him "another" Adam Gilchrist after the Indian's blistering 159 in the fourth Test.

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting praised young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, so much so that he called him "another" Adam Gilchrist after the Indian's blistering 159 in the fourth Test. "He is a real talent and an incredibly good ball striker. He has got a really good game sense as well. I have been lucky enough to coach him at Delhi (Capitals)," said Ponting, who had worked with the Indian during his stint with Delhi franchise at the Indian Premier League. "He has got to do a bit of work on his keeping and he will also become a better batsman. "We talk about him in the commentary box and he is sort of like another Adam Gilchrist," Ponting told cricket.Com.Au. Gilchrist, the legendary Australian wicket-keeper batsman, has played 96 Tests, scoring 5570 runs at an average of 47.6. He also represented his country in 287 ODIs, amassing 9619 runs at 35.89. Watch: Hilarious song composed for Rishabh Pant by fans On Friday, Pant became the only Indian wicketkeeper to score a century on Australia soil when he smashed an unbeaten 159 and shared a 204-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja, as the visitors declared at 622 runs for seven. The 21-year-old also surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 13-year-old record of highest individual Test score by an Indian wicketkeeper. The former India skipper had scored 148 runs against Pakistan in 2006. Ponting believes Pant will score more Test centuries than his predecessor Dhoni. "He is sort of like another Adam Gilchrist" – Ricky Ponting on Rishabh Pant after the India wicket-keeper batsman hit an entertaining 💯 at the SCG. READ 👇https://t.co/fofFrxgqLi pic.twitter.com/7CsO9ITloR — ICC (@ICC) January 5, 2019 × "We talk about MS Dhoni all the time and his impact on Indian cricket. He played a lot of Tests for India but made only six Test hundreds. This kid (Rishabh Pant) will make a lot more Test hundreds than that," Ponting said. "He has already scored his second Test ton and a couple of 90s to go with it. Look he is someone who could play a lot of Test cricket for India across formats. Pant is only 21 and is already into his ninth Test." Gilchrist also praised Pant for pacing his innings well. "He played a beautiful innings today (Friday)," Gilchrist told foxsports.Com.Au. "We probably all expected him to bat aggressively from ball one but he showed he can build an inning and then by the end of it allowed himself to play with all the freedom that we know he's got. "It was entertaining. He's a cricketer that I would happily pay to watch." Gilchrist believes Pant has the talent to become a successful Test cricketer. "He's a cricketer that is at the start of his journey so he'll learn these particular parts of the game and he'll learn that there's always more time than what you think, but he's got a great foundation to be a successful Test cricketer," he said. Though he shone with the bat, Pant's keeping wasn't always up to the mark as he dropped Usman Khawaja off Mohammed Shami late on the second day. However, Gilchrist said Pant will become a reliable keeper as he learns from his mistakes. "Although he's missed a few opportunities with the gloves, he's certainly held onto more than he's spilt. If he's prepared to work on his game, I'm sure he'll develop and become a really reliable keeper," Gilchrist said.

Rishabh Pant is another Adam Gilchrist, says Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft's recent statements detailing the build-up to the ball-tampering scandal will "raise a few eyebrows" but are unlikely to cause any fresh upheaval in the team.

Speaking to Cricket Australia's official website, 'cricket.Com.Au' on Thursday, Ponting said he is quite stunned by the statements.

In interviews given to 'Fox Sports', Bancroft has said that he was encouraged by David Warner, who is also serving a ban, to tamper the ball, while Smith has claimed that Cricket Australia's now ousted top officials encouraged a 'win at all cost' culture by statements like "we don't pay you to play, we pay you to win".

"Now that those stories are out there, it's going to be interesting to see what the reaction is tomorrow in newspapers and news channels. There's enough in those stories to raise a few eyebrows," Ponting was quoted as saying.

At the same time, Ponting said he does not believe the fresh controversy on the matter will have an impact on the national team.

"I think the guys that are not banned have had long enough to move on from that sort of stuff," he said.

"I'm pretty sure that Painey (current captain Tim Paine) and some of the other guys, they have to leave that behind and move on and worry about what's happening in the middle of the MCG.

"Because right now, the series is at absolute fever pitch&nbsp;so the less distractions the better," he added referring to the ongoing four-Test series against India which is locked 1-1.&nbsp;

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft's recent statements detailing the build-up to the ball-tampering scandal will "raise a few eyebrows" but are unlikely to cause any fresh upheaval in the team.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft's recent statements detailing the build-up to the ball-tampering scandal will "raise a few eyebrows" but are unlikely to cause any fresh upheaval in the team. Speaking to Cricket Australia's official website, 'cricket.Com.Au' on Thursday, Ponting said he is quite stunned by the statements. In interviews given to 'Fox Sports', Bancroft has said that he was encouraged by David Warner, who is also serving a ban, to tamper the ball, while Smith has claimed that Cricket Australia's now ousted top officials encouraged a 'win at all cost' culture by statements like "we don't pay you to play, we pay you to win". "Now that those stories are out there, it's going to be interesting to see what the reaction is tomorrow in newspapers and news channels. There's enough in those stories to raise a few eyebrows," Ponting was quoted as saying. At the same time, Ponting said he does not believe the fresh controversy on the matter will have an impact on the national team. "I think the guys that are not banned have had long enough to move on from that sort of stuff," he said. "I'm pretty sure that Painey (current captain Tim Paine) and some of the other guys, they have to leave that behind and move on and worry about what's happening in the middle of the MCG. "Because right now, the series is at absolute fever pitch so the less distractions the better," he added referring to the ongoing four-Test series against India which is locked 1-1.

Bancroft, Smith comments on ball-tampering scandal will raise eyebrows: Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckons India's batting woes have outweighed their opponents after the visitors slumped to a massive 146 run defeat in the second Test.&nbsp;

"I compared the two teams at the start of the series and I didn't think India could win here just because of the frailties of their batting and I think that's been highlighted this week," told Ponting.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The injury of Prithvi Shaw, which ruled him out of the entire Test series, was the first blow to India. The youngster had suffered a left ankle injury while attempting a catch in a practice game against Cricket Australia XI.

Batsman Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were also ruled out before the Perth Test. India have called opener Mayank Agarwal and all-rounder Hardik Pandya to bolster their batting.

"They've had to call in another opener, they've brought in another all-rounder as well to try and bolster that middle order. They've got as much on their plate as the Australian boys have, if not more now that they've lost this game.

"(There is) a lot of uncertainty around their group and they haven't got long to turn things around," Ponting said.

Ponting advised Australia to carry forward the winning momentum to the third Test at Melbourne.

"Just not relax. They've set a bit of blueprint this week (of how to beat India) with the way they've played. They just have to build on that now.

"There's no doubt with one win a bit of belief comes but they can't just rock up in Melbourne and expect India are going to play like they did here," he said.&nbsp;

Ponting, under whom Australia dominated world cricket, also cautioned Australia that the remaining two venues are more suited to Indians.

"If you think about the MCG and SCG, they are conditions that will suit the Indians more than Adelaide and Perth.&nbsp;

"The Aussie boys will have their work cut out, but as long they play the brand of cricket they know that they can play and I think they showed that (with) some great aggression this week, I hope that continues for the next couple of weeks&nbsp;if they can do that then I think they're going to be hard to beat," he said.&nbsp;

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckons India's batting woes have outweighed their opponents after the visitors slumped to a massive 146 run defeat in the second Test.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckons India's batting woes have outweighed their opponents after the visitors slumped to a massive 146 run defeat in the second Test. "I compared the two teams at the start of the series and I didn't think India could win here just because of the frailties of their batting and I think that's been highlighted this week," told Ponting. The injury of Prithvi Shaw, which ruled him out of the entire Test series, was the first blow to India. The youngster had suffered a left ankle injury while attempting a catch in a practice game against Cricket Australia XI. Batsman Rohit Sharma and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were also ruled out before the Perth Test. India have called opener Mayank Agarwal and all-rounder Hardik Pandya to bolster their batting. "They've had to call in another opener, they've brought in another all-rounder as well to try and bolster that middle order. They've got as much on their plate as the Australian boys have, if not more now that they've lost this game. "(There is) a lot of uncertainty around their group and they haven't got long to turn things around," Ponting said. Ponting advised Australia to carry forward the winning momentum to the third Test at Melbourne. "Just not relax. They've set a bit of blueprint this week (of how to beat India) with the way they've played. They just have to build on that now. "There's no doubt with one win a bit of belief comes but they can't just rock up in Melbourne and expect India are going to play like they did here," he said. Ponting, under whom Australia dominated world cricket, also cautioned Australia that the remaining two venues are more suited to Indians. "If you think about the MCG and SCG, they are conditions that will suit the Indians more than Adelaide and Perth. "The Aussie boys will have their work cut out, but as long they play the brand of cricket they know that they can play and I think they showed that (with) some great aggression this week, I hope that continues for the next couple of weeks if they can do that then I think they're going to be hard to beat," he said.

Perth Test shows India's batting weaker than Australia's, says Ricky Ponting

Australia might have been outwitted in the opening Test but former skipper Ricky Ponting believes the hosts will hold an edge over India in the second Test at the Perth beginning Friday.

India defeated Australia by 31 runs in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/ind-vs-aus-cheteshwar-pujara-shines-as-kohli-team-wins-1st-test-match-182840">the first match to take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series for the first time </a>in 70 years.

Ponting believes the nature of the new-look Perth pitch will suit the Australians.

"I think Perth will definitely suit our guys a lot more than the Indian players, but the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-shares-plan-to-frustrate-australia-in-next-test-182914">Aussies need to bounce back pretty quickly</a>," Ponting told cricket.Com.Au.

Ponting said Australia need to find out their shortcomings quickly and learn from them after putting a poor show in the first Test.

"They played pretty poorly this week and got within 30 runs. And that's not saying India played at their absolute best either, but they're absolutely capable," he said.

"There's some positives to take from it but they've also got to take a good hard look at what they've done through this game and make sure they do it a lot better."

Ponting said Australia should avoid any knee-jerk reaction and retain the batting order and field the same playing XI in the second Test, despite Aaron Finch's failure as an opener.

The selectors, coach Justin Langer and skipper Tim Paine had backed Finch to open the Australian innings in Adelaide and Ponting feels they shouldn't change their opinion after just one Test.

"Why wouldn't they do that for this game if that's their best line-up?" Ponting asked if Finch should bat down the order.

"I just think that would be really reactionary. The selectors have made a decision, or whoever is setting the batting order, that they think Aaron Finch is the right guy to be opening the batting for Australia.

"When you start moving guys around, it just creates more uncertainty. Finch would potentially train differently next week than he had this week because he's not opening (and) Usman has to train differently because he is opening.

"Little things like that would come into their minds. If I was them, I'd be tempted to keep it the same way."

Finch got out for nought and 11 in the two innings of the first Test.

Australia might have been outwitted in the opening Test but former skipper Ricky Ponting believes the hosts will hold an edge over India in the second Test at the Perth beginning Friday.

Australia might have been outwitted in the opening Test but former skipper Ricky Ponting believes the hosts will hold an edge over India in the second Test at the Perth beginning Friday. India defeated Australia by 31 runs in the first match to take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series for the first time in 70 years. Ponting believes the nature of the new-look Perth pitch will suit the Australians. "I think Perth will definitely suit our guys a lot more than the Indian players, but the Aussies need to bounce back pretty quickly," Ponting told cricket.Com.Au. Ponting said Australia need to find out their shortcomings quickly and learn from them after putting a poor show in the first Test. "They played pretty poorly this week and got within 30 runs. And that's not saying India played at their absolute best either, but they're absolutely capable," he said. "There's some positives to take from it but they've also got to take a good hard look at what they've done through this game and make sure they do it a lot better." Ponting said Australia should avoid any knee-jerk reaction and retain the batting order and field the same playing XI in the second Test, despite Aaron Finch's failure as an opener. The selectors, coach Justin Langer and skipper Tim Paine had backed Finch to open the Australian innings in Adelaide and Ponting feels they shouldn't change their opinion after just one Test. "Why wouldn't they do that for this game if that's their best line-up?" Ponting asked if Finch should bat down the order. "I just think that would be really reactionary. The selectors have made a decision, or whoever is setting the batting order, that they think Aaron Finch is the right guy to be opening the batting for Australia. "When you start moving guys around, it just creates more uncertainty. Finch would potentially train differently next week than he had this week because he's not opening (and) Usman has to train differently because he is opening. "Little things like that would come into their minds. If I was them, I'd be tempted to keep it the same way." Finch got out for nought and 11 in the two innings of the first Test.

Perth will suit Australia more than India: Ricky Ponting

Australia-India, the classic rivalry: Here are 5 memorable Test clashes

Former Australia captain Ricky&nbspPonting&nbsphas joined the Australian coaching staff for the side's five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 international game against England in June.

Ponting&nbspjoins former teammate Justin Langer, who was appointed coach of the team on a four-year term after Darren Lehmann resigned in the wake of a ball-tampering scandal in March.

"Ricky is one of the greats of the game, and since he was already in England doing some commentary we saw it as a great opportunity to have him join our team for this important series," Langer said in a statement.

Ponting&nbsphas served as assistant coach for the T20 side twice before, against Sri Lanka in 2017 and for the tri-series against New Zealand and England earlier this year.

He was also the head coach of the Delhi Daredevils side in the Indian Premier League this year.

"Ricky's knowledge of the game is second-to-none, and we know that his experiences, tactical expertise and leadership will be invaluable for this group," Langer added.

The three-time World Cup winner will begin his assignment on June 10, working around his commentary commitments.

Ponting has served as assistant coach for the T20 side twice before, against Sri Lanka in 2017 and for the tri-series against New Zealand and England earlier this year.

Former Australia captain Ricky&nbspPonting&nbsphas joined the Australian coaching staff for the side's five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 international game against England in June. Ponting&nbspjoins former teammate Justin Langer, who was appointed coach of the team on a four-year term after Darren Lehmann resigned in the wake of a ball-tampering scandal in March. "Ricky is one of the greats of the game, and since he was already in England doing some commentary we saw it as a great opportunity to have him join our team for this important series," Langer said in a statement. Ponting&nbsphas served as assistant coach for the T20 side twice before, against Sri Lanka in 2017 and for the tri-series against New Zealand and England earlier this year. He was also the head coach of the Delhi Daredevils side in the Indian Premier League this year. "Ricky's knowledge of the game is second-to-none, and we know that his experiences, tactical expertise and leadership will be invaluable for this group," Langer added. The three-time World Cup winner will begin his assignment on June 10, working around his commentary commitments.

Ricky Ponting joins Australian coaching staff for England tour

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting isn't convinced with assertions that ball tampering and sledging are deep-rooted in his country's cricketing culture.&nbsp

However, he is relieved that the embarrassing episode of South Africa is coming to a close with the disgraced trio deciding not to challenge their bans.

Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner announced that they have accepted the sanctions imposed by Cricket Australia for their role in ball tampering during the South Africa series.

"Cultural issue is a really interesting thing for me. If we wind the clock a couple of months back, when Australia won the Ashes like they did, there was no talk about cultural problems or issues whatsoever," Ponting answered to a query from PTI.

"But I think a lot of times, cultural things can be blown out of proportion, when the reality inside the dressing room is completely different than what it is spoken about all the time. Honestly feel, on this occasion, I think cultural stuff spoken about is being blown out of proportion to a certain degree," the legendary batsman said.

The two-time World Cup winning captain admitted that it was a shocker for him as to what the trio indulged in and the reaction of Australian public was justified.

"This is the first time I am answering a single question about what happened in South Africa over the past couple of weeks. As a past player and captain, I was quite shocked to see what actually took place out on the field. But the pleasing thing for me is that for the guys, the whole issue is now starting to come to an end," Ponting said during his media interaction organised by his IPL side Delhi Daredevils.

Ponting said that he understood the disappointment of the general Australian public as they have always looked up to their cricket team in a different manner.

"When I was back in Australia a week and a half ago, if you think it was big news out over here, it was astronomical how big an issue it was in Australia and rightly so.

"We as Australians like to play the game hard and fair and our fans expect Australian players to play that way. Reaction of Australian public felt that Australian players had not played the game in a fair way," he said.

Ponting is relieved that the Australian team can now focus on the rebuilding process.

"It seems like it's coming to an end. It is good for the game's sake. Now that the series is over, good thing for players' sake is to try and get away from it all as hard as it might seem for them. They then start rebuilding what has sort of collapsed for them over last couple of weeks," said Ponting.

The man with 27,000 international runs however didn't give a direct answer to what he would have done had he been a Cricket Australia official.

He is relieved that the embarrassing episode is about to close

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting isn't convinced with assertions that ball tampering and sledging are deep-rooted in his country's cricketing culture. However, he is relieved that the embarrassing episode of South Africa is coming to a close with the disgraced trio deciding not to challenge their bans. Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner announced that they have accepted the sanctions imposed by Cricket Australia for their role in ball tampering during the South Africa series. "Cultural issue is a really interesting thing for me. If we wind the clock a couple of months back, when Australia won the Ashes like they did, there was no talk about cultural problems or issues whatsoever," Ponting answered to a query from PTI. "But I think a lot of times, cultural things can be blown out of proportion, when the reality inside the dressing room is completely different than what it is spoken about all the time. Honestly feel, on this occasion, I think cultural stuff spoken about is being blown out of proportion to a certain degree," the legendary batsman said. The two-time World Cup winning captain admitted that it was a shocker for him as to what the trio indulged in and the reaction of Australian public was justified. "This is the first time I am answering a single question about what happened in South Africa over the past couple of weeks. As a past player and captain, I was quite shocked to see what actually took place out on the field. But the pleasing thing for me is that for the guys, the whole issue is now starting to come to an end," Ponting said during his media interaction organised by his IPL side Delhi Daredevils. Ponting said that he understood the disappointment of the general Australian public as they have always looked up to their cricket team in a different manner. "When I was back in Australia a week and a half ago, if you think it was big news out over here, it was astronomical how big an issue it was in Australia and rightly so. "We as Australians like to play the game hard and fair and our fans expect Australian players to play that way. Reaction of Australian public felt that Australian players had not played the game in a fair way," he said. Ponting is relieved that the Australian team can now focus on the rebuilding process. "It seems like it's coming to an end. It is good for the game's sake. Now that the series is over, good thing for players' sake is to try and get away from it all as hard as it might seem for them. They then start rebuilding what has sort of collapsed for them over last couple of weeks," said Ponting. The man with 27,000 international runs however didn't give a direct answer to what he would have done had he been a Cricket Australia official.

'Cultural thing is blown out of proportion,' says Ricky Ponting on ball tampering

Indian captain Virat Kohli hit&nbsp;the 31st ODI century of his career in his landmark 200th ODI match in 50-over international against New Zealand at Mumbai&#39;s Wankhede Stadium.

Beating the record of Australian player Ricky Ponting, Kohli now ranks second on the list.

Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 49 ODI centuries.&nbsp;

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Virat Kohli hits the 31st ODI century of his career <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/922061260774039552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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With ODI century No. 31, Virat Kohli moves past Ricky Ponting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/922062165720174594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Virat Kohli, who&nbsp;is leading his team against New Zealand in the&nbsp;match, is&nbsp;the 13th player from the country to complete his double century appearances in ODIs.

Overall, he is the 72nd player to appear 200 times in a 50-over match.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvNZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvNZ</a>: Skipper Virat Kohli playing his 200th One Day International match in Mumbai. <a href="https://t.co/PV7iLGOTvl">pic.twitter.com/PV7iLGOTvl</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/922003423859376129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Virat Kohli beat the record set by Australian player Ricky Ponting in his milestone 200th ODI

Indian captain Virat Kohli hit the 31st ODI century of his career in his landmark 200th ODI match in 50-over international against New Zealand at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Beating the record of Australian player Ricky Ponting, Kohli now ranks second on the list. Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 49 ODI centuries. Virat Kohli hits the 31st ODI century of his career #INDvNZ — ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2017 × With ODI century No. 31, Virat Kohli moves past Ricky Ponting #INDvNZ — ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2017 × Virat Kohli, who is leading his team against New Zealand in the match, is the 13th player from the country to complete his double century appearances in ODIs. Overall, he is the 72nd player to appear 200 times in a 50-over match. #INDvNZ: Skipper Virat Kohli playing his 200th One Day International match in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/PV7iLGOTvl — ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2017 ×

After Sachin, Virat Kohli now holds record for maximum ODI centuries

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