A lackluster Australia maybe on the brink of losing the Ashes urn to England but Ricky Ponting, a superior skipper than his predecessor Steve Waugh, is still the best man to lead the side in Tests, according to former captain Ian Chappell.
Chappell felt the selectors sold Ponting down the river, picking an all-pace attack for the unresponsive pitch at The Oval and blaming Ponting for the debacle would be barking up the wrong tree.
"Not only did they (selectors) handcuff Ponting at The Oval with four pacemen on a palpably dry pitch, but they also, once again, resorted to the failed ploy of expecting part-time spinners to do a specialist task. This is a crime punishable by demotion," he wrote in his 'The Daily Telegraph' column.
"Good selectors protect the captain from himself on the occasions when he requires that insulation. If Ponting clamoured for an all-seam attack at The Oval the selectors should have been strong enough and wise enough to advise otherwise," he explained.
Throwing his weight behind the beleaguered skipper, Chappell said, "Ponting has many critics when it comes to his captaincy style. However, those pundits should realise the easy part is sacking a captain. The hard part is to find someone who will do the job more efficiently.
{{/usCountry}}Throwing his weight behind the beleaguered skipper, Chappell said, "Ponting has many critics when it comes to his captaincy style. However, those pundits should realise the easy part is sacking a captain. The hard part is to find someone who will do the job more efficiently.
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