Ricky Ponting at the start of this tour", Ponting said. He ending the series with 267 runs at 44.50. Leading West Indian batsmen Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul returned for the opening Test of the 2009–10 Australian cricket season starting on 26 November in Brisbane, after the industrial dispute was resolved. Ponting scored 55 in an Australian innings victory, before many sections of the media attacked the West Indies lack-lustre performance. Ponting produced scores of 35 and 20 in the following Test in Adelaide, as the touring side responded to their critics by securing a draw. For the first time since 2002,
Ricky Ponting award, before praising his young side for the title defence. Australia proceeded to tour India for seven ODIs starting in mid-October and ending in early November. In the opening match, Ponting top-scored for Australia with 74 from 85 balls, as his team narrowly escaped defeat. Ponting made just 12 in India's comprehensive victory in the second match, while he scored a slow 59 from 93 balls (four boundaries) in another Indian victory in the third match. The Australian captain stuck a more fluent innings of 52, scored in 59 deliveries in the following fixture. Australia amassed their biggest total of