mvaughan

I was pretty sad to hear the news that Ricky Ponting has been dropped from Australia's ODI team for the rest of the Commonwealth Bank series.

We're talking about one of the all-time greats here. One of the most prolific batsmen to have played the game, one of the most successful captains ever in all formats . Let's not forget he captained Australia to two World Cups and won another just as a player. And that's before we go into all of his achievements as a Test captain.

To be told that you're no longer up to it isn't the way his ODI career should have been ended. But maybe the selectors realised that calling time on his own career was never going to happen and that they had to push him. 'Punter' has called a press conference tomorrow and my gut instinct is that it will mean he'll retire from all competitive cricket with immediate effect. After all, if it was to just announce he was retiring from ODI cricket rather than try to get his place back, he would probably have just issued a statement.

Personally I hope he doesn't call it a day as a Test player. For all the battles I had with him during two Ashes series, he's a player I have incredible respect for. In fact, I'd go as far as saying I struggle to think of another player that I'd rather have on my side going into battle than Ponting.

More to the point: can Australia afford to be without his experience in the middle-order during this transitional phase? That's debatable. We'll have to wait and see what it is that Ricky has to say tomorrow in that conference but I certainly hope I haven't seen him play his last knock in international cricket.

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