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Ricky Ponting hits out - Source: Reuters -
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Ricky Ponting has been a lot of things during his cricket career - but never the oldest in his team.
However Matthew Hayden's retirement has left the Australian captain in just that position at the age of 34.
As a result of his precocious talent, the Tasmanian has always had older faces around him since his early playing days in Launceston.
He made his first class debut at 17 and earned an international call-up at 20.
His boyish, mischievous nature and boundless energy in the field has also made it hard for him to be viewed as an old-timer.
Even his first name is child-like.
However the flood of departing players in recent summers from the Australian side has finally left the skipper as the elder statesman.
And he admitted to being surprised when that was pointed out to him by umpire and former Tasmanian teammate Rod Tucker earlier this month.
"Rod Tucker actually made a point of mentioning that to me the other day in Melbourne and I had not even thought about it," Ponting said.
"He said 'You know you are the old boy around the team'.
"I thought 'No I am not, surely there has got to be someone around older than me'.
"But I had a look around and I am the oldest with Huss (Mike Hussey) just behind me.
"I might have to fudge a few birth certificates I think.
"I have never been in this situation before whether it was in any junior team I was always a few years younger than everyone else."
The current spate of injuries has also meant Ponting has had to get used to new faces in the national team this summer.
"Sitting in the change room (for the first Twenty20 match) and going to training and it was like (looks from side to side) 'Where have all my mates gone?' he said with a smile.
