Ponting not the first to play on post-captaincy
Ricky Ponting is not the first man to play on after resigning as Australia's captain. ESPNcricinfo looks at some of the others
ESPNcricinfo staff
30-Mar-2011
Kim Hughes played on for two more Tests after his tearful resignation as captain • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Ricky Ponting has been named in Australia's one-day squad to tour Bangladesh under Michael Clarke, making him the first Australia captain since Kim Hughes to play on after giving up the leadership. Prior to that, it wasn't an uncommon occurrence. ESPNcricinfo looks at some of the modern skippers who have stayed on under a new boss.
Richie Benaud
3 Tests - 188 runs at 31.33; 7 wickets at 53.85
3 Tests - 188 runs at 31.33; 7 wickets at 53.85
Benaud began the 1963-64 season as Australia's captain, but at 33, his intention was to retire at the end of the summer. He led the team in the first Test against South Africa, a match that is remembered for Ian Meckiff being no-balled for throwing, but missed the second Test due to injury. Bob Simpson stood in for the second Test at the MCG and guided Australia to victory, and when Benaud returned in the next match he told the board it would best for Simpson to stay on as captain. He made 43 and 90 in his first match post-captaincy, but had little impact for the remainder of the series.
Bob Simpson
1 Test - 21 runs at 10.50
Simpson announced his retirement during the 1967-68 series against India, but was brought back for the final Test of the series for a farewell at the SCG under the new captain, Bill Lawry. In the one-off occasion, the 31-year-old Simpson made 7 and 20. It wasn't quite his last Test, though. Ten years later, he was drafted back in to captain an inexperienced side during the World Series Cricket split.
1 Test - 21 runs at 10.50
Simpson announced his retirement during the 1967-68 series against India, but was brought back for the final Test of the series for a farewell at the SCG under the new captain, Bill Lawry. In the one-off occasion, the 31-year-old Simpson made 7 and 20. It wasn't quite his last Test, though. Ten years later, he was drafted back in to captain an inexperienced side during the World Series Cricket split.
Ian Chappell
9 Tests - 607 runs at 40.46; 2 wickets at 27.00
Chappell stood down from the captaincy at the end of Australia's successful Ashes tour of 1975, but remained available for selection under the new leader, his brother Greg. He had made 192 in the final Test at The Oval, so his form was not an issue. Two matches into his post-captaincy career, Chappell made 156 against a fearsome West Indies attack led by Andy Roberts and Michael Holding at the WACA, although Australia lost by an innings. He retired after six Tests, but made a comeback four years later, after World Series Cricket, and ended his career with 75 and 26 not out against England in the Melbourne Test of 1979-80.
9 Tests - 607 runs at 40.46; 2 wickets at 27.00
Chappell stood down from the captaincy at the end of Australia's successful Ashes tour of 1975, but remained available for selection under the new leader, his brother Greg. He had made 192 in the final Test at The Oval, so his form was not an issue. Two matches into his post-captaincy career, Chappell made 156 against a fearsome West Indies attack led by Andy Roberts and Michael Holding at the WACA, although Australia lost by an innings. He retired after six Tests, but made a comeback four years later, after World Series Cricket, and ended his career with 75 and 26 not out against England in the Melbourne Test of 1979-80.
Greg Chappell
5 Tests - 364 runs at 72.80
Chappell resigned from the captaincy after Australia's 1982-83 Ashes victory, although he returned to lead the team for a one-off Test in Sri Lanka later that year. But by the next Australian summer, Kim Hughes was in charge and Chappell played one final series, against Pakistan. He made two big hundreds in the five-Test series and finished his career with 182 in the final Test at the SCG, when at the age of 35, he farewelled international cricket alongside his colleagues Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh.
5 Tests - 364 runs at 72.80
Chappell resigned from the captaincy after Australia's 1982-83 Ashes victory, although he returned to lead the team for a one-off Test in Sri Lanka later that year. But by the next Australian summer, Kim Hughes was in charge and Chappell played one final series, against Pakistan. He made two big hundreds in the five-Test series and finished his career with 182 in the final Test at the SCG, when at the age of 35, he farewelled international cricket alongside his colleagues Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh.
Graham Yallop
24 Tests - 1691 runs at 42.27
Yallop is an extraordinary case; as captain of Australia's weakened Test team during the World Series Cricket days, he was in charge for only seven matches before Hughes took over, and then the rebel players were welcomed back into the fold. He played on for five more years under Greg Chappell and Hughes, and played some fine innings, including 268 against Pakistan at the MCG in 1983-84, before his first-class career ended with the rebel tour of South Africa.
24 Tests - 1691 runs at 42.27
Yallop is an extraordinary case; as captain of Australia's weakened Test team during the World Series Cricket days, he was in charge for only seven matches before Hughes took over, and then the rebel players were welcomed back into the fold. He played on for five more years under Greg Chappell and Hughes, and played some fine innings, including 268 against Pakistan at the MCG in 1983-84, before his first-class career ended with the rebel tour of South Africa.
Kim Hughes
2 Tests - 2 runs at 0.50
Hughes was an on-again off-again captain during and after the World Series Cricket era, including when Greg Chappell chose not to make tours to England and Pakistan. His full-time tenure as captain, after Chappell's retirement in 1983-84, ended with a tearful resignation following the Gabba loss to West Indies in 1984-85. Hughes played on in the next two Tests of the series but his scores were 0, 2, 0 and 0, and he did not represent Australia again. Hughes was the last captain of Australia until Ricky Ponting to play on after handing over the leadership. Ponting moves into his post-captaincy career in a much more positive frame of mind.
2 Tests - 2 runs at 0.50
Hughes was an on-again off-again captain during and after the World Series Cricket era, including when Greg Chappell chose not to make tours to England and Pakistan. His full-time tenure as captain, after Chappell's retirement in 1983-84, ended with a tearful resignation following the Gabba loss to West Indies in 1984-85. Hughes played on in the next two Tests of the series but his scores were 0, 2, 0 and 0, and he did not represent Australia again. Hughes was the last captain of Australia until Ricky Ponting to play on after handing over the leadership. Ponting moves into his post-captaincy career in a much more positive frame of mind.