Former players against Michael Clarke as captain

[Temujin Khaghan]

FORMER star players have questioned Michael Clarke's capacity to ascend to the Test captaincy and believe Ricky Ponting must lead Australia to England for Ashes revenge in 2013. As Clarke comes to grips with a degenerative back complaint that has marred his preparations for the first Test starting Thursday, former deputy Ian Healy said the 28-year-old had yet to prove he is durable enough to succeed Ponting. Test vice-captain Clarke laid bare his ambitions yesterday to one day claim the highest office in Australian sport. But Clarke's worrying back problem, coupled with Ponting's fierce ambition to plot England's demise on foreign soil in four years, could prove insurmountable hurdles to "Pup" becoming top dog. Viewed as Ponting's natural successor after being named deputy for the West Indies tour in 2008, Clarke is in danger of becoming the Peter Costello of Australian cricket. Clarke will be 32 when Australia embarks on its next tour of England. "Michael Clarke hasn't convinced me that he's durable enough to be captain," said Healy, the long-serving vice-captain to Mark Taylor. "Clarkey has to get on the field - that's an issue he has to address before we ask who should replace Ricky. "Michael has missed a lot of games lately and that's not a good sign. He should not come into the equation at all until Ricky Ponting wants a succession plan." Ponting, who turns 35 next month, has clearly not formulated an exit strategy. In a candid interview on the ABC's 7.30 Report last Monday, Ponting revealed he was hell-bent on atoning for losing back-to-back series on English soil. If he goes the distance, Ponting will be 38. "I more than hope . . . I'm going to give it every possible chance and give myself every possible chance and opportunity to be there (in England in 2013)," Ponting said. "I've got too many bad memories from The Oval to not finish my career with some good ones. So look, I'll give it a great shake. If I'm good enough, all well and good; if I'm not, then I wish the next bloke all the best of luck when he tries to do it. "What I've got to do now is stay fit enough and stay good enough to stay in the side a couple more years and get back to England again and have one more crack at it." And therein lies the conundrum for Clarke. Since his masterful 151 on debut against India in 2004, Clarke has been Australian cricket's wonderboy earmarked for the ultimate responsibility. He said the right things off the field; delivered the goods on it. But the longer Ponting thrives, and endures, the greater the prospect of Clarke's Test captaincy dreams fading away. Ponting was 29 when he inherited the Test captaincy from Steve Waugh in 2004. Clarke, it seems, will be asked to wait a little longer. Whether Ponting's desire to hang on creates ripples of tension is yet to be seen, but Healy knows this: the Tasmanian is not ready to be shown the door. "I would like to see Ricky Ponting muster the energy to go to the next Ashes and get that right," he said. "His team is going particularly well in one-day cricket and it's a bit wobbly in its transition in Test cricket. I'd like to see Ricky oversee that Test team because that's where we've got work to do." Former Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon, an outspoken critic of Ponting's captaincy, believes the handover has to take place within the next 12 months. "If they are seriously looking at Michael Clarke as Test captain -- and they should be -- the change has to come within the next 12 months," Rixon said. "I don't want to see Clarke coming into the role as a 32-year-old. No one will want that." Former Test captain Kim Hughes expressed concern about Clarke's health and claimed Ponting would finish his career as a great leader. "Ricky Ponting's efforts in India last month is some of the best leadership I've seen in decades," Hughes said. "He was simply magnificent. To triumph in India, when we were 2-1 down, with all the injuries, his leadership was outstanding. "Michael Clarke is getting experience, but there must be a question mark over him now with his back. "The danger is that Michael Clarke, because of his degenerative back injury, he might only be able to play Test cricket. "If Ricky goes until the next Ashes in England, Michael Clarke will be 32 or 33. Who knows, someone else could come along and be a captaincy contender source : http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/michael-clarkes-no-certainty-to-be-next-top-dog/story-e6frf9if-1225801650684

[Sachinism]

In a candid interview on the ABC's 7.30 Report last Monday, Ponting revealed he was hell-bent on atoning for losing back-to-back series on English soil. If he goes the distance, Ponting will be 38. "I more than hope . . . I'm going to give it every possible chance and give myself every possible chance and opportunity to be there (in England in 2013)," Ponting said.

:nervous:

[Celeste]

Ponting playing till 2013 is bad news for Tendulkar. Accordign to FTP, Aus are to play about 45 tests till that period.

[DomainK]

:nervous:

Don't worry, he is no Sachin.

[Sachinism]

Ponting playing till 2013 is bad news for Tendulkar. Accordign to FTP' date=' Aus are to play about [b']45 tests till that period.

wowwww

[bright1]

Sad thing is Sachin isnt getting enough Test matches to play ... India should plan more test matches rather than those t20s atleast! Well about Michael Clarke I read him saying about Ponting: "I only wish I can be half as good as Punter. You have to perform on the field above all else, and his stats in all forms of the game are amazing. In our sport that's a huge part of leadership and respect," he said. Source: http://www.cricketnirvana.com/news/international/2009/november/news-20091121-224.html Clarke can be a good captain but he has to work hard to be a Ponting in terms of captaincy.. As far as Sachin is concerned.. he is a true legend!

[yoshi]

you have to admit it would be funny if ricky lost a third time in england..plus the amount of importance the english place on the ashes means its never going to be easy anyway :punter: should make sure he wins the ashes back next year then give up the role

[DomainK]

you have to admit it would be funny if ricky lost a third time in england..plus the amount of importance the english place on the ashes means its never going to be easy anyway :punter: should make sure he wins the ashes back next year then give up the role

I would love that.:punter:

[bright1]

will ricky play an ashes in england again? i think he wil retire before that lolz

[Muzicorp]

I dotn think Ponting will retire in a hurry. At the rate he is going ts tough to get him off that role. It may be sad for Clarke but how do they find a captain to fill the shoes of Ponting!!!

[saneindian]

The way england have been performing off late, Aussies better start preparing for defending ashes in Australia in late 2010-early 2011. The current english team with Strauss, Trott , Morgan and a fully fit KP will be very tough to beat even on Aussie pitches.

[Don Sharma]

From what little I have seen, Cameroon White looks a better captain that M Clarke but I don't think he is test material. Having said that, the Aussies have experimented in the past by using different captains for Test and LOIs (remember Waugh-Punter era). I think it wont be that bad an idea to split the captaincies - C White for ODIs and Pup for tests.