We knew that if we had to win the World Cup, the defensive side of the game had to be better, which means bowlers will have to bowl tight and we will have to field better.

He was selected in Michael Clarke's teams for the tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2011 scoring an important half-century (62) in the fourth innings of the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg helping Australia chase down a target of 309 to draw the series 1–1. In the First Test against Pakistan in Perth Ponting made 98 in the second innings. 48.

He lost his place in the national team several times in the period before early-1999 due to lack of form and discipline before becoming One Day International captain in early-2002 and Test captain in early-2004. On 29 November 2012 Ponting announced his retirement from Test cricket the day before he would play in the Perth Test against South Africa. After being involved in over 160 Tests and 370 ODIs Ponting is Australia's leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket.