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Indian Premier League 2009
Ponting decides to give IPL a miss
Cricinfo staff
February 19, 2009
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Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, has decided to skip the 2009 season of the IPL because of his country's packed international schedule. Ponting felt he wouldn't be able to give his all for his country if he used his two-week break from national duty to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
"My country comes first and there was no way I could give my all for Australia if I used the only two-week break we have to go and play in India," Ponting wrote in his column in the Australian. "I have been talking with my team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, for a month or two now and in the end my only choice was to withdraw from the 2009 competition, but I will most certainly be back for 2010 when I hope to be able to make a much greater contribution. The franchise has been fantastic about the whole thing and I want to thank them for their understanding."
Australia are currently in South Africa where they are scheduled to play three Tests, two Twenty20 internationals and five ODIs. This series comes soon after the end of the Australian summer, during which the team played home Test and ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand. The Australian selectors wanted Ponting to take a break during the five-ODI series against New Zealand but he returned to the squad after Australia conceded a 2-0 lead to the visitors.
"As everybody is aware, I could not really take a break through the Australian summer," Ponting wrote. "However, I have to say that I had been talking with my manager about not playing the IPL well before any issues came up about me having a break, or, as it turned out, not having a break, during the one-day series against New Zealand.
"Part of the reason I decided to withdraw from the IPL is that Twenty20 is such a physically demanding game and you have to be at your best to play the game and I want to be at my best for the [Twenty20] World Cup. "
After the tour of South Africa ends in April, Australia are scheduled to play an ODI series against Pakistan, following which is the two-week gap when Australia's players are expected to be available for the IPL. However, the itinerary is packed after the break with the ICC World Twenty20 in England followed by the Ashes, ODIs in England, a bilateral series in India, a Test series against Pakistan and the Australian summer.
Joy Bhattacharya, Kolkata's team director, confirmed the franchise will seek a replacement. "We are looking for a replacement and are bargaining hard with two or three players already. We are looking for a batsman who will be an able replacement," he told Cricinfo. "The rules for a replacement says that if for any reason a player is unavailable for the entire season, only then a player from the auction list [the original auction list of 110-odd] can be picked."
Ponting is the third high-profile Australian to miss the 2009 season of the IPL after fast bowler Mitchell Johnson and vice-captain Michael Clarke, both of whom did not take part in the inaugural season either.
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Ricky's absence gonna b a big loss for Kolkata.But its a good decision....he put his country 1st before any team......we respect u rickey......and waiting for IPL 2010 edition 2 c u in Kolkata Knight Riders.......we rule
Posted by Prix on (February 21 2009, 14:57 PM GMT)I'm immensely proud of Ricky's apt and wise decision to give the IPL a miss for something much more crucial and honorable- his national duty. I feel he's done the right thing and yet again proved to his critics that he suits captaincy of the world's best Test cricket team. I'm hopeful that the Aussies successfully defend their title in SOuth Africa and shut the mouths of all those who've been too hasty to label them the underdogs.
Posted by Zaheerahmed on (February 21 2009, 10:37 AM GMT)It is a case of sour grapes for those who now have a change of heart and feel that Ponting, the premier batsman in the world for more than a decade now, is not good enough to play a private 20-20 league in India. Just wait and you will see people in India doubting Flintoff's talent and making his comparison with Ajit Agarkar or Irfan Pathan as most probably he would also miss the tournament due to injury.
Posted by jokerbala on (February 20 2009, 12:28 PM GMT)The fact that he is tired is quite obvious.He was called in the midst the ODI series with the kiwis and though he didn't contribute much with the bat,the Aussies came back and drew level.He is like a lucky mascot to the Aussie team,and they need him more than KKR.I will be surprised if SRK goes for any replacements,he might be relieved that he need not pay $400,000,considering Mortaza was bought for $750,000.
Posted by anilpendse on (February 20 2009, 10:37 AM GMT)I have no doubt in Ricky's abilities. But looking after the poor results australia has produced this summer It seems to be a very good decision by him to skip IPL this year. Face of cricket australia is changing today with lot of younger players filling up the shoes of the older ones. This creates an extra pressure on the captain and looking after these kind off circumstances this decision to skip IPL stands as 1 of the great decisions by Ricky. Now the world has accepeted that thge No.1 spot of aussies was totally due to their past dominance and now they are experiencing that the teams like INDIA, SA are pushing them for the No.1 spot. So its a gud decision by him and hope we will see a fantastic series in South Africa.. Well done Ricky...
Posted by bill_mccai on (February 20 2009, 10:00 AM GMT)Good to see the Australian captain and vice captain putting their country first.
Posted by sansean on (February 20 2009, 09:34 AM GMT)the way he is playing right now i won't be surprised if he loses his place in the Aussie XI. It is a good decision because he seems to be just a pale shadow of Ponting the super batsman right now. Another bad performance in a series from him and he might get the boot, the Aussie board is known for doing that, reputations don't matter
Posted by SubhoXI on (February 20 2009, 08:23 AM GMT)I would say its a smart decision (rather than going into its value judgement) by Ponting and Kolkata Knightrider. First, for Ponting it would be have been an uphill task to prove his worth in the last two league games (which in all possibilities will be crunch ties), considering that he failed miserably last time round. Also, if he is dropped in those games after making himself available, that will be a slap to his reputation. From the point of view of KKR, they can now invoke a replacement option (since Ponting is out of the entire season) and get someone who will be more effective in the T20 format and who will be available for all the gmaes.
Posted by biplobmmh on (February 20 2009, 08:03 AM GMT)It doesn't matter the reason he got to keep himself aside, we should respect his personal choice and leave him alone at least as a good cricketer.
Posted by popcorn on (February 20 2009, 08:00 AM GMT)This is very sensible of Ricky Ponting. So also Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson, who have got their priorities right. Shows that they are ot swayed by money, that their country comes first. Actions such as these will put IPL in its place - a purely wham-bam entertainment that masquerades as cricket.