Clarke deputy for Ponting

Ranjan Anadappa

Michael Clarke of New South Wales is tipped to take over the vice captaincy from Adam Gilchrist who retired recently from International cricket but will not be able to receive the Australian captaincy soon.

Clarke's batting in the on going Commonwealth Bank limited over series has enhanced his chances of taking over the top job of the Australian cricket side with his consistent batting when he produced an innings to save the Aussies from total destruction. Meanwhile the Australian reports attributed the recent batting failure by both Ponting and Symonds to emotional toll off the field.

Despite the pair failing to contribute anything worthwhile to the side in the ongoing series they are expected to attract the highest bids 800,000 dollars a year at the Indian Premier League player auction this week.

Symond's and Ponting's contribution in the CB series have been less than 100 in 10 innings.

It further states " The battles with administrators over alleged racial slurs and the chance to cash in wither India's Twenty 20 explosion are two topics that have taken an emotional toll off the field.'

It mentions that Gilchrist believes that the Australian captain Ponting was feeling the weight of his extra ordinary responsibilities, in a summer that has seen the Harbhajan racial incident, heated debates over the IPL Twenty 20 contracts, concerns over the tour of Pakistan and the extra ordinary fall out from the Sydney Test to make matters worse Ponting is carrying a chronic back injury.