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'He has got every bit as much talent as I had if not more': Ricky Ponting identifies next '100-Test' cricketer for India
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has identified an Indian youngster whom he wants to turn into someone capable of playing 100 Test matches for the country.
The great Ricky Ponting was once a big thorn in the eyes of Indian cricket fans. Be it the 2003 World Cup final or any other big India vs Australia encounter in the early 2000s, Ponting thrashing Indian bowlers was a common sight. For India, there was no big tormentor than the former Australia captain. Even when the Indian team ended Australia's World Cup run in 2011 by beating them in the quarterfinal, Ponting was still at it, waging a lone battle and scoring a century. (Also Follow: IPL 2022 Full Coverage)
However, post retirement, ever since Ponting has embarked on his next venture of coaching, he has started getting a lot of love from Indian fans, especially for his association with IPL franchise Delhi Capitals. Since joining the franchise in 2018, Ponting has been a big motivating factor behind the team's success, and if you don't believe us… just go to DC's YouTube channel and hear one of his dressing room speeches. Even you would want to go out there and perform for the Capitals. That's what he brings to the franchise.
Having worked closely with the franchise for four years now, Ponting knows what each and every player has to offer. He has always been high on praise for 22-year-old Prithvi Shaw and has spoken about him openly in the past. This year, Ponting's key is to get the most out of Prithvi, for he feels the Indian youngster has what it takes to play 100 Tests for the country.
"If I look Prithvi play, he has got every bit as much talent as I had if not more, and I want to be able to turn him into a player that plays over a 100 Test matches for India and represents his country as much as possible. If I look back through the teams that I've been around, when I took over Mumbai Indians, Rohit was very young, Hardik Pandya hadn't played, Krunal hadn't played. A lot of the guys that I have coached there have gone on to play cricket for India and that's what I want to do here," Ponting said during a podcast with Delhi Capitals.
In the four matches played in IPL 2022, Shaw has been in fine form, scoring 38 against MI, 10 vs Gujarat Titans followed by back-to-back fifties against Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders scoring 61 and 51 respectively.
