Greg Chappell picks Ricky Ponting as the best Australian batsman since Sir Donald Bradman

The recently-held annual Australian Cricket awards for the calendar year 2019 generated a lot of buzz and controversy after swashbuckling opener David Warner was conferred with the prestigious Alan Border Medal- the award given to the best Australian cricketer of the year. 

While Warner was absolutely brilliant in white-ball cricket and in-home Test matches against Pakistan and New Zealand, his performance in the 2019 Ashes where he struggled to the hilt against Stuart Broad was abysmal, to say the least. Steven Smith, on the other hand, scored 774 runs in four Ashes Tests at an average of 110 and the right-hander was one of the pivotal reasons behind Australia clinching the coveted urn.

Smith is widely hailed as the greatest Australian batsman since Sir Donald Bradman courtesy his ridiculous consistency. In 73 Tests, the run-machine has racked up 7227 runs at an average of 62.84 with 29 fifties and 26 three-figure scores. However, former Australian captain Greg Chappell has a completely different opinion on this.

Greg Chappell had seen Ricky Ponting from close quarters

The controversial former Australian captain recently hosted a charity dinner where he named his favourite Aussie batsman since Sir Donald Bradman. According to Chappell, former captain Ricky Ponting is the greatest batsman that Australia has produced after the ‘Don’.

Ponting, one of the greatest batsmen of all times enthralled the cricketing folklore with his precocious talent for almost two decades before hanging his boots in 2012. In 168 Tests, Punter racked up 13378 runs with the help of 62 half-centuries and 41 hundred at an average of 51.85. The two-time World Cup-winning captain was equally brilliant in One-day International cricket. In a total of 375 ODIs, Ponting accumulated 13704 runs with 82 fifties and 30 centuries at an average of 42.04 and career-best of 164.

Chappell had seen Ponting from close quarters. He worked with him at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane during his earlier days, and perhaps this might be the biggest reason behind him choosing Ponting as the greatest batsman after Sir Donald Bradman.

Post his retirement, Ponting is heavily involved in both commentary and coaching stints. He is currently coaching the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. He recently featured in the Bushfire ‘Big Appeal’ where his side went on to beat Gilchrist XI by 1 run.

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