Ricky Ponting batsmen in danger on the final day, a rearguard counterattacking partnership by Kevin Pietersen and Ashley Giles on the final afternoon secured a draw for the hosts. Thus, the Ashes were lost for the first time in 16 years. The setback to Australia, and to Ponting as Australian captain, of the 2005 Ashes defeat, was to prove a strong motivation for the Australian camp to improve their standards and overcome any complacency that may have arisen from Australia's being the world's premier cricketing nation for a decade. Prior to the Ashes defeat, Australia's dominance had prompted the ICC to organise
Ricky Ponting who played under him say he is a good leader. According to former Australian opening batsman Justin Langer, "He is quite inspirational as a leader and I just never get all the detractors he has. Whether it's in the fielding practice, the nets, the way he holds himself off the field—every time he speaks, these young guys just listen, they hang on every word he says." "Ponting captained 2 consecutive World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007 (out of Australia's hat-trick of World Cups – 1999, 2003, 2007)" On 1 January 2017, Ponting was named an interim coach for the