Ponting must lead Australia in 2013 Ashes series, says Healy

Former wicketkeepeer-batsman Ian Healy has said Ricky Ponting must lead Australia to England in 2013 Ashes series asserting that Michael Clarke, who was tipped as future Test captain, has yet to prove his leadership qualities.

''Michael Clarke hasn't convinced me that he's durable enough to be a captain,'' said Healy. ''Clarkey has to get on the field - that's an issue he has to address before we ask who should replace Ricky. Michael has missed a lot of games lately and that's not a good sign. He should not come into the equation at all until Ricky Ponting wants a succession plan,'' Healy was qouted as sayiong by The Sunday Telegraph.

Australia Test vice-captain Clarke ignited the captaincy debate yesterday when he spoke of his determination to one day claim the highest office in Australian sport. But his worrying back problem, coupled with Ponting's fierce ambition to plot England's demise on foreign soil in four years, could prove biggest hurdles to Pup ever becoming captain.

''I would like to see Ricky Ponting muster the energy to go to the next Ashes and get that right,'' Healy said. ''His team is going particularly well in one-day cricket and it's a bit wobbly in its transition in Test cricket. I'd like to see Ricky oversee that Test team because that's where we've got work to do.

''It will be extremely challenging for Ricky to go to the next Ashes, but I don't think anyone can be sure of the next leader.

That's the issue. You don't want your deputies aspiring to the leadership. They are two totally different roles, being a deputy and being a captain.'' ''You don't want your deputies playing the role of a captain. You want the deputy making sure the atmosphere in the dressing room is spot on, while the captain is worrying about the other stuff. Ricky has had the most challenging era of captaincy in the last 25 years.

It's very similar to the role Allan Border had to play. He was fast running out of senior players and Ricky has done exceptionally well rebuilding the side,'' he added.

However, former Test keeper Steve Rixon believes Clarke should be groomed for the top job sooner rather than later.

''If they are seriously looking at Michael Clarke as a future Test captain - and they should be - the change has to come within the next 12 months,'' Rixon said. ''They need to be looking at a succession plan to replace Ponting now if it's to be Clarke.

''I don't want to see Clarke coming into the role as a 32-year-old. No one will want that,'' he added.

-- (UNI) -- 22SPD14.xml

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