During his illustrious career, former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was tested against a number of great bowlers and he also scored plenty of runs against them.
However, there was one bowler who often got the better of Ponting. India’s Harbhajan Singh had an upper hand over the Aussie, dismissing him 13 times in international cricket.
Speaking to IANS, the veteran India off-spinner reflected on his success against Ponting and also added that he has enormous respect for the two-time World Cup winning Australian captain.
"There is no doubt that he (Ponting) is one of the best batsmen to have played the game. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest to have played the game," Harbhajan said. "I had my time against him when I thought I was equal to him at my best and I began feeling that way when I got him out a couple of times."
The Turbanator further said that he found some technical weakness in Ponting, who was known to smash fast bowlers all around the park.
"I could see that while coming forward in his defence, he jabs (at the ball) and doesn't play with soft hands. I felt that in his defence, he comes with hard hands. The ball that bounces or rises would hit the top of his bat and that always gave me a chance for bat-pad or get him out caught at short-leg or backward short-leg. And once I sensed that he wasn't really comfortable in defending the ball, I could play on the weakness," he explained.
Harbhajan highlighted the importance of solid defence to become a complete and proper batsman.
"You may have every shot, but if you have solid defence you become a very proper, complete batsman. When he used to play fast bowling, it never seemed like he had hard hands but against a spinner, you have to play with slightly more soft hands. I felt he would rush, and the ball would hit his gloves. I got him out four-five times (five times) in that series against us in 2001," he stated.
"After that, every time I played against him, it was more of a mental game. When you get out to a bowler a few times then it is always at the back of your mind. Even if you are batting at 130, you always think, oh this bowler has come, hope he doesn't get me out. That was probably something he had on his mind. Maybe that was an advantage for me. I had in my mind that I can get him out. I felt like conditions don't matter, surface doesn't matter. I can get him out, so it worked for me," he further remarked.
Harbhajan, however, says his success doesn't change the fact that Ponting was not just a batting great but also a great mentor.
"He was the best player I have played against. I have got great regards for him as a player. When we played against each other, we always had that tussle but when we were together with MI, he was phenomenal in guiding us to our maiden IPL title."
