Ricky Ponting won more internationals as captain than anyone
Four centuries in a single week of junior cricket earned an eighth-grader from Launceston a bat sponsorship. That boy, Ricky Ponting, grew into Australia's leading run-scorer in Tests and one-day internationals and the most successful captain in international cricket, winning 220 of 324 matches.
Born in Launceston, Tasmania, on 19 December 1974, Ponting was the eldest of three children; his father was a capable club cricketer and his mother a state champion at vigoro. His uncle Greg Campbell played Tests in 1989 and 1990. Australian rules football nearly claimed him, until a badly broken arm at 13 ended competitive football for good. After leaving school he worked as a groundsman, and a fortnight at the Australian Cricket Academy became a two-year scholarship once coach Rod Marsh called him the best 17-year-old batsman he had seen.
He debuted for Tasmania in November 1992 aged 17 years and 337 days, the state's youngest Sheffield Shield player, edging David Boon's record by 14 days. Soon he struck five straight centuries against Western Australia, a feat matched in Shield history only by Sir Donald Bradman. International debuts followed in 1995, including 96 in his first Test against Sri Lanka in Perth, though form and discipline problems cost him his place several times before 1999.
Appointed ODI captain in 2002 and Test captain in 2004, he led Australia to World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007 and Champions Trophy wins in 2006 and 2009, the most ICC tournaments by any men's captain. He was also in the 1999 World Cup side and won 48 of his 77 Tests in charge. As a player he took part in 100 Test victories, a unique record, and 262 ODI wins.
Only Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have more international centuries. Ponting retired from Tests in November 2012 after his 168th match, level with Steve Waugh's Australian record, averaging 51.85. He entered the ICC Hall of Fame in July 2018 and became an Australian assistant coach in February 2019.
Source: Ricky Ponting
