Ponting's legacy as captain at stake: Border

Melbourne:

Ricky Ponting's legacy as captain is at stake in the deciding fifth Ashes Test against England and his phenomenal success of the past would be forgotten if the team doesn't win the match, reckons former Australian skipper Allan Border.

"In Ricky's captaincy journey, having been a losing captain in 2005, it's a chance for redemption," Border said. "Ponting has overseen a couple of different periods as captain: the end of a great era and the start of a new era. He would like to leave Australian cricket in good hands by making a smooth transition between the two eras. He wants to leave the next captain with a very good cricket team that has the Ponting legacy," Border told 'Foxsports.com.au'.

Border said though Ponting is trying hard to come across as confident, he is definitely feeling the pressure.

"The pressure is on. Your captaincy gets rated on series wins, but also on how we go against the old enemy. It wouldn't please Ponting to have another series defeat in England on his CV," he said.

Border, however, felt Ponting has copped a lot of unfair criticism in his tenure as captain.

"I don't think much of the criticism Ponting cops has been fair. Because we'd been used to beating the hell out of everyone, losing in 2005 was viewed as an abomination - and Ricky copped the flak. But that was unfair," he added.