Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has retired from Twenty20 internationals and plans to have “set periods of rest” to prolong his Test and one-day career, but will not relinquish his lucrative Indian Premier League contract. “After much thought and careful consideration I have informed Cricket Australia of my decision to retire from international Twenty20 cricket,” the 34-year-old Ponting said in a statement Monday. “I have also spoken to (chief selector) Andrew Hilditch, (coach) Tim Nielsen and (vice captain) Michael Clarke and I feel this decision provides me the opportunity to prolong my Australian Test and one-day career. “As I said after the fifth Test in London, I am hoping to continue playing Test cricket for as long as possible and retiring from the Twenty20 format gives me the best chance of doing this.” “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,” said Ponting, Australia's leading runscorer in Test and one-day cricket. Ponting has played 136 Test matches for Australia, scoring 38 centuries, behind only India's Sachin Tendulkar, who has 42. He has scored 11,345 Test runs at an average of 55.88. He has also played 315 limited-over matches, scoring 11,523 runs at an average of 42.52. Ponting's captaincy has come under scrutiny in sports-mad Australia after his team's Ashes series loss to England last month, but the batsman said he was determined to remain in charge of the side. The 2-1 series defeat made Ponting only the second captain in more than 120 years to lose the Ashes on British soil twice. Ponting, who will remain as Test and one day captain, said he would continue to play domestic cricket for Tasmania and would fulfil his contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. “I will now have set periods of rest throughout the Australian summer and while touring which I feel will be very beneficial,” he added. Cricket Australia (CA), which has dismissed calls for Ponting to step down following the Ashes defeat, said it supported his decision. “Needless to say he will be a huge loss to the Twenty20 side but it does present opportunities for the other players and leaders within Australian cricket to gain further experience,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said. Australia has posted a mediocre record under Ponting's captaincy in the shortest format of the game, crashing out of the Twenty20 World Cup in June. He was excused from two washed-out Twenty20 matches last month and the start of the ODI series to return home to rest after the Ashes, but returns to England this week to captain Australia for the rest of the ODI series. Clarke, who has been seen as Ponting's eventual replacement, has deputised in his absence. Cricket Australia said a new Twenty20 captain would be decided later this year. Australia's next Twenty20 international will be held on Feb. 5 against Pakistan in Melbourne. __
