Clarke happy with post-Ponting transition

Michael Clarke has said he was pleased with the smooth captaincy transition during the one-day tour of Bangladesh, which was Ricky Ponting's first international series under another skipper in seven years. Clarke said he felt Ponting still had plenty to offer the team, in both runs and experience, and that the former captain had no trouble handing over the reins to Clarke.

"Both of us spoke openly daily, we enjoyed it and I certainly see Ricky playing a big part not only in my captaincy, but the other guys in the team and their development," Clarke said at a function in Sydney on Wednesday. "There's a lot less stress on his shoulders now. He can concentrate on batting well, as he has been, and helping the rest of the boys."

Ponting became the first Australia captain in nearly 30 years to stay on in the team after relinquishing the leadership, when he was named in the squad for the series in Bangladesh. But Clarke, who had already led Australia 43 times across all formats before he took the job full-time, said there was no risk of him deferring to Ponting when making decisions.

"It will never get to that," he said. "You're always asking other players for ideas and what their thoughts are on the field. He was there in Bangladesh when I needed him. Ask him a question and he'll give me the answer, then it's the captain and the vice-captain's decision to work out what's best for the team and make that call.

"The relationship among all the players - that's one thing I make clear to all the guys, to feel free to be who they are, to be open, be upfront and if they have an idea to try and do whatever's best for the team. Just about all the guys have played under me as captain, whether it be Twenty20 or one-dayers.

"He gave me the freedom to be me and be the captain I wanted to be. He was there if I needed guidance or had any questions. As I said before we left for Bangladesh, Punter and I have a great relationship and I know that's the guy he is - he'll want to continue to do whatever is best for the team and he certainly did that in Bangladesh."

Clarke's next on-field challenges don't come until August, when the team heads to Sri Lanka for a Test tour. In the meantime, one of his major tasks will be to discuss the future direction of the side with the Don Argus-led panel charged with conducting Cricket Australia's performance review.