Ponting decided to retire from T20

Fresh after spending some time with the family after the Ashes defeat, Ponting decides to retire from Twenty2o internationals

Ponting decided to retire from T20

Fresh after spending some time with the family after the Ashes defeat, Ponting decides to retire from Twenty20 internationals

Ricky Ponting left for England yesterday to join the Australian squad for the remainder of the ODI series ahead of the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Looking refreshed after his brief break, Ponting announced his decision to retire from Twenty20 Internationals. He told the media he felt rested after having spent time with wife Rianna despite having to "chase one-year-old daughter Emmy Charlotte around the house".

"The last 10 or 12 days for me have been a lot about reflection, looking back to the Ashes and looking forward to my playing future.

Captain cool: Ricky Ponting retired from Twenty20 Internationals yesterday. pic/afp

"I'm really passionate and committed to being the best player I can be for Australia for as long as possible," Ponting said.

"Over the last couple of years I have found it increasingly difficult to play all three forms of the game at the level that I want to play them."

Distinguished
Ponting has scored 39 Test centuries in a distinguished career which has seen him amass 20,000-plus international runs. He is second only behind Sachin Tendulkar (42 Test centuries) and is the third leading century maker in one-day internationals behind Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.

Tasmanian-born Ponting will continue as captain of the Test and one-day teams. He is on record as saying he would like to regain the Ashes in 2013 at the age of 38. He has led Australia in 61 Tests and 184 ODIs.

Australian fans, still struggling to come to terms with the team's Ashes defeat, are hoping for an encore of history, which has shown that their captain has invariably returned after a break fresher and hungrier for success.

Which, they would like to believe, does not bode well for England.

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