My call helped Clarke get experience and knowledge for big India Test series: Ponting

Hobart, Dec 7(ANI): Australian batsman Ricky Ponting says his decision to step down as captain has ensured that Michael Clarke will be ready to lead the Test side for the series against India starting later this month. Ponting says the call, made after this year's 50-over World Cup in the Indian sub-continent, has allowed successor Clarke seven Tests as skipper before the massive four-Test home series. "I don't have any regrets about standing down. I did it because I thought it was the right time and I did it to try and make myself back into the player that I wanted to be," Ponting told the Herald Sun. "It gave the incoming captain a lot of time to get experience and knowledge under his belt for the next really big series that we play. Michael's probably got seven Tests under his belt before a big series so that's good experience for him," he added. The first Test of the series will start in Melbourne on December 26. The remaining Tests will be played in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide. The Tests will be followed by two Twenty20 internationals, before Sri Lanka join in for a one-day tri-series from February 5. (ANI)