Interview of the week: Ricky Ponting

Colombo: Win or lose any match in the group stages, all eyes will be on one man, questioning whether he would lead Australia to a fourth successive World Cup victory. The man on the hottest seat now is none other than Australian skipper Ricky Ponting.

Known for his aggression on the field and tales about his rage, his fierceness does not come across when one talks to him in person.

Yes, it comes out very clear that he is a tough task master, but what is more palpable is his intelligence and shrewd cricketing brains. The manner in which he leads the team and his planning are a treat to watch.

He spoke at length with the media about how he plans to go about his goal and win the World Cup, and his future as a player on the eve of the match against Sri Lanka at Premadasa Stadium.

Do you think you have the right skills in your team to achieve the goal of winning this World Cup, and how have the preparations been?

RICKY PONTING: Every day is a challenge, both training-wise and game-wise. But it is hard to judge from our performance in the first two games. Frankly, we were not pushed too much by Zimbabwe or New Zealand. All I can say is that I am happy with the way we've approached every session so far.

How much of a pressure is it on you as captain to win the World Cup again?

We all know we're on a really good run in World Cup cricket. We want to continue to do that, and I want to be a good, solid performer.

Ian Chappell has remarked that anger brings out the best in you? Do you agree with that?

[Smiles]. I don't think anger is the right word. He [Chappell] should have used the word aggression. All of us need to be playing in the Australian way, which means a lot of aggression on the field. However, it is not necessary that we go over the top with it.

How do you plan for every match and for a dangerous performer, especially a bowler like Lasith Malinga who has been doing well?

In our team meetings we do discuss many things and we discussed about Malinga who had bowled exceptionally well against Kenya. We talked about the way he bowls with the old and new ball.

When you are at the crease, it is important to be aware of the different types of deliveries Malinga bowls.

So you do discuss all bowlers and come out with a plan for everyone?

There are certain bowlers from all teams that you have got to respect. We do always single out those guys. In the game against New Zealand it's Daniel Vettori.

We want to make sure he doesn't get our wickets during the middle overs. Similarly, when we play Sri Lanka we must ensure that Muralitharan doesn't get those wickets in the middle overs and expose the middle order.

It is all about executing the plans.

You always need to have different plan for different guys. Sometimes the plans also change quickly because they might be off form and might serve us some ordinary deliveries for us to hit to the fence.

How happy are you with your bowlers?

Brett Lee has bowled very well in the last few games. He may not be what he was nearly five to six years ago, but his pace is good and he has matured as a bowler. I think Twenty20 cricket has taught him a lot and so he knows his role as a one-day cricketer. It is important to take wickets early and he has done it so for us.

How much do you believe in trying our different combinations, especially in batting?

If you look at us, it is clear we mostly play with unchanged teams. We want to be focussed on every match. Our goal is the quarter-finals now.

Your are not familiar with Sri Lankan wickets since you haven't toured here for long. How do you cope with such situations?

We have to play on different grounds and we have been doing that. For us this [Premadasa Stadium] is just another one; but the ground looks terrific. The wicket looks different from the ones we have played so far. So it does not matter whether we have played here or not for long. Pitches actually do not worry us.

So a fourth consecutive Cup must surely be playing at the back of your mind all the time?

Yes, a fourth consecutive win is important; but to achieve that we need to focus on the game. We need to focus on the small areas to advance.

Do you believe that the breaks in between matches are too long and how do players go about it?

This is part of the World Cup. During breaks between matches, we pace ourselves. Some of us train for three consecutive days at the net and some prefer the gymnasium in between. It is all about being in fit and understanding the players' needs.

Some days they train hard, some days they do not. The most important factor is to be focused 100 per cent on our game.