Ricky Ponting’s place among cricket’s all-time greats is undisputed. The Tasmanian born batter finished his international career as Australia’s leading run-scorer in both Test and ODI cricket, with 13,378 and 13,704 runs respectively — remarkable tallies that underline his prolific mastery across formats.
But beyond the centuries and captaincy accolades, Ponting had a lesser-known passionate side: his love for professional wrestling, and in particular, WWE legend The Undertaker. Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie recalled that obsession with a blend of affection and amusement.
“Ricky Ponting is probably one of Australia’s greatest ever players and the leading run-scorer for Australia. He was also a wonderful captain,” Gillespie recalled while speaking on SEN’s The Sporting Capital.
“I remember one season — I think it was 1997 or ’98 — I was injured and had hurt my back, so I’d spent some time out. The team had come to Adelaide, and I knew Ricky was a massive wrestling fan. He absolutely loved The Undertaker.”
Gillespie said he gifted Ponting the centre-spread poster of the legendary wrestler, sparking the Australian cricketer’s obsession.
“I had a wrestling magazine where the centre spread was a poster of The Undertaker, so I tore it out. I went in while the Australian boys were training and gave it to Rick. I said, ‘Mate, I’ve got this poster of The Undertaker.’ He looked at it, just nodded, and put it straight into his bag.
“The next day, he went out and made a hundred. After that, for the rest of the summer, he refused to remove that Undertaker poster because cricket is a very superstitious game — and a lot of sportspeople are. He said, ‘This Undertaker poster was in my bag when I got a hundred, so it’s not leaving.’
“He’d put it in his locker wherever he went, and every time he came back, the Undertaker poster would be there. He kept making runs, and it just went on. I don’t know how long it lasted before the superstition finally wore off, but yeah — Rick was a big fan.”
Ponting’s anecdote illustrates a side of elite sport not often discussed: the rituals and beliefs athletes carry with them in pursuit of success. Superstitions are woven through cricket’s rich tapestry — from Sachin Tendulkar’s practice of putting on his left pad first before going out to bat, to players obsessing over locker-room seats or lucky numbers. The sport’s long rhythms and fine margins seem to invite these personal talismans and routines, as players seek a sense of control over unpredictable outcomes.
Ponting’s exploits on the field speak for themselves. Bursting onto the international scene as a teenager in the mid-1990s, he became a defining figure of Australia’s dominant era. He captained the side to back-to-back Cricket World Cup titles in 2003 and 2007 and was a fixture in an Australian team that set new standards in international cricket. His penchant for aggressive stroke-play and tactical acumen made him a thorn in opposing bowlers’ sides, and his leadership record remains among the best in the game’s history.
After hanging up his boots, Ponting transitioned seamlessly into roles that kept him at the heart of the sport. He has worked as a respected commentator, offering insight drawn from years at the highest level, and has served in coaching capacities, including mentoring roles at international and franchise levels.
As head coach of the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, Ponting has been working towards reviving the fortunes of a perinnialy under-achieving team. Punjab made significant strides in IPL 2025, reaching the playoffs for the first time in over a decade under the leadership group of Ponting and Shreyas Iyer.
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