Australia's all-time greatest Test XI

#4 Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting

Ponting remains one of few Tasmanians to have played Test cricket for Australia. He also remains Australia’s highest run-getter in Test cricket and was one of the premier batsmen in the world for the majority of his 17-year long career. He was very strong off his back foot and the best player in the world on the leg side. His pulls and hooks against the fast bowlers were as audacious as they were effective.

Ponting was, however, not very comfortable while dealing with top-quality spin bowling and this explains his relatively ordinary record in the sub-continent. Still, he gradually got over those weaknesses and made a century against India in India at the age of 35.

Ponting also scored runs against all Test-playing nations in all types of conditions. He finished with 13378 runs in 168 tests at 51.90 and 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries. He also remains the 2nd highest run-getter in the history of Test cricket.