Ricky Ponting reveals 'special act of sportsmanship' after losing 2005 Ashes in England

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was at the receiving of the infamous runout affected by English substitute fielder Gary Pratt back during the Ashes 2005 series in England. While the aforementioned runout was a controversial moment, the 2005 event is still known for its closely fought battles and England regaining the urn for the first time since the 1986-87 series. Quite recently, the Ashes 2005 losing captain disclosed his ‘special act of sportsmanship’ after his initial outburst towards England’s dressing room at Trent Bridge.

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Ricky Ponting reveals his parting gift for Gary Pratt during Ashes 2005 series

During an interaction with cricket.com.au, Ricky Ponting recalled some of his unpleasant memories from the memorable Ashes 2005 event. The legendary batsman said that he along with the rest of his Australian team were aware at the time that England’s Test side was tactically using their good substitute fielders, all in favour of their fast bowlers to enjoy extended breaks in their dressing rooms to sustain long bowling spells upon comeback. While Ponting admitted to have talked about the matter with the referee, the cricketer himself became a victim of an agile substitute fielder in a moment that eventually turned out to be a decisive factor during Trent Bridge thriller.

Apart from Ricky Ponting’s unpleasant television sight of hurling abuses towards the English dressing room upon walking back to the pavilion, the cricketer revealed that he was so angry at the time that he wanted to grab Gary Pratt “by the throat and throw him off the balcony!”. However, the 168-Test veteran admitted that he still left a parting gift for the English substitute fielder after the end of the series. Ricky Ponting said that when Pratt had arrived to the dressing room, he signed and gifted his pair of shoes to the then 23-year-old Englishman and said “Well done!”.

The revelation comes as a surprise considering Ponting's on-field image back in his playing days and the fact that such was his competitive nature that he was one of the Australian captains who banned the practice of sharing a drink with opposition players in the dressing room after an ODI or a Test series. 

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IPL 2020: Ricky Ponting to coach Delhi Capitals

Ricky Ponting is now slated to reprise his coaching role for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season. The cricketer-turned-coach will be joined by fellow Australians like Alex Carey and Marcus Stoinis in the Capitals camp along with many Indian cricketers. The IPL 2020 season is scheduled to commence from September 19 onwards in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

How much is Ricky Ponting net worth?

According to pickytop.com, the Ricky Ponting net worth figure is estimated to be around US$65 million (₹491 crore). Some of his net worth comprises of his total earnings from Cricket Australia as a former Australian cricket player. The two-time World Cup-winning captain also earns more than US$4 million every year through his several endorsement deals with brands like Adidas, Kookaburra Bats, Pura Milk, Rexona and more.

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Disclaimer: The above Ricky Ponting net worth information is sourced from various websites and media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of Ricky Ponting net worth figures.  

Image credits: Cricket Australia Twitter