Ricky Ponting Zealand gave rise to calls for Ponting to be removed from the team following perceived underperformances. The selectors resisted the calls, selecting Ponting for the Boxing Day Test—the first of a four-Test series against India. Ponting scored two half-centuries in Australia's first Test win, followed by a century (134) in Australia's first innings of the second Test in Sydney. The century was his first in Test cricket in almost two years. His fourth-wicket partnership of 288 runs with Clarke, who went on to make 329 not out, set a new record for the biggest partnership by an Australian pair of
Ricky Ponting the Indian journalists, lashing out at them for "questioning my [Ponting's] integrity". The Australian players faced much questioning as a result of the fallout of the incident. The Australian team maintained that they play hard but fair. In regards to the racism issue, Ponting denied he did anything wrong by singularly reporting Harbhajan Singh for being abusive. Ponting stated that he was obligated to refer any incidents of racism to officials as it is widely agreed that racism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. After criticism of the Australian team in multiple media continued, a shocked Ponting promised to ensure