
Ricky Ponting rules out Ashes return
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has back-tracked on his own suggestion he'd return to Test cricket as an emergency Ashes call-up by ruling himself out of the upcoming series against England.
The 38-year-old, one of the best batsmen of his generation, retired from Test cricket in December with 13,378 runs, including 41 hundreds, in 168 matches at an average of 51.85 to his name.
Ponting is in England, where Australia will hope to regain the Ashes in a series starting in July, to play county cricket for London-based side Surrey.
He told Daily Mail on Wednesday that the possibility of an Ashes recall was "extremely unlikely", but that "you wouldn't say no, would you, if that call came and I would never say never," seemingly leaving the door ever so slightly ajar to a dramatic return to Test cricket.
However, Ponting insisted that he was a "happily retired international cricketer", telling satellite broadcaster Sky Sports, "I did an interview with the Mail yesterday (Tuesday) and probably didn't answer this question exactly the way I would have liked."
"I'm a happily retired international cricketer. There'll be a squad of 17, 18 players and there'll be reserve batsmen on standby, ready to go if anyone in the starting XI loses a bit of form."
"I won't be playing Ashes cricket this time, there's no doubt about that."
"I'm pleased everyone out there thinks that there's still an opportunity, that I might be good enough to play, but I'm happily retired and it's time for the young guys now to make the most of their opportunities," Ponting said.
In his Mail interview, Ponting said he would have loved another crack at arch-rivals England.
However, a poor series at home to South Africa convinced him he was no longer reaching the required standard and, with fellow senior batsman Mike Hussey retiring as well, Australia have some big shoes to fill in their top order.
"This was the series I was playing on for without a doubt," Ponting told the Mail. "I felt Australia would have been a stronger side in this Ashes with both me and Mike Hussey in the side.
"The Ashes are the pinnacle and England is the greatest tour to be on. But the bottom line is I just wasn't good enough any more to be a part of this team. I knew that," he said.

New Zealand beat Australia by 7 wickets, win T20I series 3-2

He was told to lose weight, respect game, work hard on keeping: Shastri on Pant
- India vs England: From being left out of India's Playing XI to smashing a third Test century, Rishabh Pant finds himself on a different playing field.

Washington Sundar keeps building on India’s resilience theme
- In a previous era, it wouldn’t have come as a big surprise, but India’s current set of lower-order players have built a reputation as tough fighters.

England made Axar look like Bedi and Underwood rolled in one: Michael Vaughan
- India vs England: Former England captain Michael Vaughan said Joe Root and Co. made Axar Patel look like a combination of Derek Underwood and Bishan Singh Bedi.

'He pulls a reverse sweep to a guy who has 600 wickets'
- India vs England: Acknowledging that it is difficult to keep Rishabh Pant quiet, England captain Joe Root said it takes a lot of skill and courage to reverse sweep a bowler like James Anderson who has 600 wickets to his name.

'Would definitely reverse sweep a fast bowler again if I get a chance': Pant

Noted former cricketers tweet after 4th Test, hail India and slam England

PCB's medical chief submits resignation to chairman Mani after PSL postponement

Dimuth Karunaratne returns as Sri Lanka name Test squad for West Indies series

Lock, stock and three spinning barrels as India crush England 3-1
- New world No.1 India put England out of their misery on Day 3 of the final Test to win the series 3-1 and qualify for the World Test Championship.

Kohli surpasses Waugh after England series win, matches Ponting's record

Now break the bubble & come home, tweets Ashwin's wife Prithi after India's win

India women's WC preparation to finally begin with home series against SA

Virat Kohli names India's 'most bankable player over the years'
