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| Standing down... but Ricky Ponting wants to continue on as a batsman. (AFP : Dibyangshu Sarkar ) |
Ricky Ponting has quit the captaincy of the Australian Test and one-day teams but plans to stay on as a batsman.
The 36-year-old denied he had been forced out as skipper when he announced his decision at a press conference at the SCG this afternoon.
"I've had no tap on the shoulder from anyone. This is a decision wholly and solely from me," he said.
"I thought the timing was spot on.
"All that being said, I've made it very clear to selectors that I'm available (to keep playing Test and one-day cricket for Australia)."
Ponting endorsed deputy Michael Clarke as his replacement, although Cricket Australia said a decision needs to be made at board level before an expected announcement tomorrow.
Ponting said defending champion Australia's World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of India was the main catalyst for his decision to step aside.
"The fact that we went out of the World Cup when we did was the main reason," he said.
Ponting was often criticised for his abrasive nature but the Tasmanian is confident about how he will be remembered.
Read more"I know within myself, my team-mates know and everyone at Cricket Australia knows what I've been able to achieve in the game and that's something I'm very proud of," he said.
Australian selectors will tomorrow announce a squad to tour Bangladesh early next month for a short tour including three one-day internationals and Ponting said he wanted to be a part of it.
"I want to continue to lead by example both on and off the field," he said.
"I'm around for advice if needed."
And Ponting is adamant his best batting position remains number three.
"I still believe it is but we'll wait and see what the next captain has got to say about that," he said.
CA chairman Jack Clarke paid tribute to Ponting's leadership.
"Ricky Ponting has been an outstanding batsman, one of the best to wear the baggy green," Clarke said in a statement.
"His leadership as captain has been outstanding and I sometimes think his brilliance with the bat has overshadowed his fine work as captain.
"Those close to the team know his true worth in guiding his players and setting a personal example of commensurate professionalism, particularly in recent years following the retirement of so many greats of the game."
Ponting took over the captaincy of the Test side from Steve Waugh in 2004 and has captained 77 matches for 48 wins - the most of any Test skipper.
He also has 163 wins from 227 one-day games in charge.
Ponting oversaw Australia's World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007 as well as a 5-0 Ashes series whitewash of England in 2006-07, but he is also the only Australian captain to lose an Ashes series on three occasions.
He has also struggled with the bat in recent times, but emerged from a slump with a fighting century against India last week.
Former skipper Kim Hughes believes Ponting can follow in the footsteps of Indian great Sachin Tendulkar and improve as a player after relinquishing the captaincy.
"I still feel that he possibly thinks he's got another year or two good cricket left in him at either one-day or Test cricket and maybe without the burden of the captaincy that he can do justice to that," Hughes said.
ABC
