'Michael deserves the first crack at captaincy'

Australian captain Ricky Ponting has endorsed Michael Clarke as his successor to captain Australia's Twenty20 side.

Cricket Australia is yet to announce who will lead the team following Ponting's decision to retire from Twenty20 internationals to concentrate on his Test and one-day career, but Ponting believes the 28-year-old Clarke, who was skipper for Australia's first three one-day internationals against England, has earned his stripes.

''Michael has done a terrific job in my absence, be it in Twenty20 or 50-over cricket. He's continued to grow as a player and a leader," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

''I know Cricket Australia said at my announcement they'd wait until later in the year before they name the captain, but Michael's done everything right and deserves the first crack at it,'' Ponting added.

Punter plans to undertake 2013 Ashes tour

Meanwhile, Ponting has made it clear he wants to return to England for the 2013 Ashes.

Ponting said that having made the decision to retire from Twenty20 cricket internationally, he was hopeful about prolonging his Test career and making it to the 2013 Ashes squad.

''It's hopefully going to give me a better opportunity to be able to do that and come back here,'' the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

Ponting, who would be 38 by then, further said: When I made that announcement, it was about me wanting to play at the level I feel I can play at in 50-over cricket and Test cricket.

"With 20-over international cricket there at the moment it was just making it harder to be physically fit and mentally sharp for every game that I was playing. I looked at the itinerary very closely and over the next 12 months it's an opportunity to have up to another four-week break. That's going to hold me in good stead down the track.''