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Ricky Ponting captained the Australian cricket team on their four Test tour of India in 2008–09. On a tour that was unsuccessful on a whole, the tourists lost the Test series 2–0 to an Indian side led by Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while they drew two warm-up matches against the Centre of Excellence (non first-class match) and Indian Board President's XI. This was Ponting's first full tour of India as captain, after previously being injured for three of the four Tests when Australia last visited in 2004. On previous Test tours of India in 1997–98, 2000–01 and 2004–05, Ponting struggled, especially against the off-spin from Harbhajan Singh, who had dismissed him on eight occasions in Tests. Ponting had only scored 172 runs in eight Tests and 14 innings in India, with a highest of 60—his only half-century in the country—and an average of 12.28, well below his career average of 58.53 prior to the series. However, in 11 home Tests against India, he had averaged 79.35. Ponting's tour started well, scoring a half-century in the second tour match and a century in the opening Test. However, his performances diminished as his team began to struggle against an experienced Indian outfit. He managed only one other half-century for the series, totaling 266 runs at an average of 38, dropping his overall Test average to 57.58. In the final Test in Nagpur—in which Australia needed victory to level the series—Ponting was criticized for bowling part-time spin bowlers in an effort to increase the over rate, to avoid suspension and a fine. When the fast bowlers were re-introduced, the match was beyond Australia's grasp and India were eventual victors. These tactics were severely criticised in Australia. ==Background and early tour== (詳細はIndia. He did not lead the Australian team to victory there in 2004–05 because he missed the first three Tests with injury. Adam Gilchrist took the Australians to a 2–1 victory. Australia, however, lost the fourth and final Test in Mumbai when Ponting returned. Nevertheless, this was Australia's first Test series win in India since 1969–70, in which Ponting made 11 and 12 on a controversial pitch. Ponting and his team were under pressure leading into the series, following the spiteful confrontations during the Indian tour of Australia earlier in the year. He had also struggled in a previous three Test series during 2001, scoring 17 runs at 3.40. Ponting acknowledged prior to the series that he was keen to rectify his poor Test batting record in India, believed to be because of his weakness against spin bowling. Though, from 1 January 2004 up until the start of the first Test, Ponting scored 1510 runs and an average of 83.88 in 64 innings against spin bowling, thus being the only Australian to score more than 1,300 runs and average over 70.〔(Why Australia will miss Symonds in India ), Cricinfo, 19 September 2008〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ricky Ponting with the Australian cricket team in India in 2008–09」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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