Unlucky Smith wanted to ‘be the man’: Ponting

Former Mumbai Indians coach Ricky Ponting concedes there was nothing more Steve Smith could have done to help Rising Pune Supergiant slay his former side in the Indian Premier League final, as Mitchell Johnson came up clutch with a match-winning final over.

Mumbai claimed their third IPL crown – and second in three years after Ponting led them to the 2015 title – on Sunday evening with a thrilling one-run, last-ball win over Pune.

Defending a very modest 129, Johnson was the hero for the Indians, collecting the crucial wicket of Ajinkya Rahane to stymie Pune’s chase before removing Manoj Tiwary and Smith in a crunch final over of the match.

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But Ponting believes Smith, whose near-faultless hand of 51 came to an end when his tracer-bullet inside-out square drive was clung onto by the offside boundary fielder, should count himself unlucky and suggested his knock typifies his selfless desire to “be the man”.

“I actually feel a little bit sorry for him with the way that the final unfolded,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.

“You had him trying to win the game there at the end and … couldn’t get it done.

“You could just see with that final (over), it just sums Steve Smith up now.

“He wanted to be the man, he wanted to be in there at the end, he wanted to get his team across the line.

“Unfortunately for him, probably the best shot played in the whole the game (was the shot he went out on); off Mitch Johnson, around the wicket, inside-out over cover, (he) picks out Ambati Rayudu on the deep cover boundary and the chance for his team to get across the line (was) slowly slipping away.”

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Despite Pune’s heartbreaking defeat, the season was undeniably a positive one for Smith’s side.

Coming off a second-from-bottom finish in their first season as an IPL franchise, the Australian took over the captaincy from India legend MS Dhoni and earned praise for his leadership across the course of the tournament.

And while Ponting said the 27-year-old would be devastated to have taken the side to within touching distance of a maiden title, he insisted Smith should be pleased with Pune’s tournament.

“You could see with his reaction when he was dismissed, he knew there was an opportunity for him to create something special for his franchise,” Ponting continued.

“So he’d be gutted but he should be also very proud of what he’s done.

“To get his team, in only their second year in the tournament, into the final was just a remarkable effort. He should be very proud.

“He’s had a good tournament. I love the fact he was given the captaincy as well, he’s thrived and relished that opportunity.”

Johnson meanwhile walked away with his second IPL title, after helping Mumbai to their first in 2013, and enhanced his reputation as a big-game performer.

Including last summer’s Big Bash League decider, the 2013, 2014 and 2017 IPL finals as well as the 2010 World T20 decider, Johnson has claimed nine wickets at 14 with an economy rate of just 6.30 in the five deciding matches of major T20 tournaments he’s played in.

Despite that, Ponting admits he had been surprised to see Johnson included in Mumbai’s final XI at the expense of their leading wicket-taker this season, fellow left-arm paceman Mitch McClenaghan.

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“I must admit when I saw Johnson picked for the last couple of games ahead of someone like McClenaghan, I wondered what was going on,” Ponting said after the Kiwi quick was overlooked for the final.

“McClenaghan and Malinga that have done exceptionally well for the last … well Malinga forever, and McClenaghan the last couple of years.

“Once the squad was put together everyone would have felt – and Mitch Johnson himself – he was going to be behind those guys in the pecking order.

“(But) I’m rapt for him. To have retired from cricket when he did, got an opportunity with the (Perth) Scorchers, did a great job with them and was one of the major reasons they won the final this year in the BBL.

“To go back to the IPL, go back to a team where he’s tasted success before at the Mumbai Indians, to be the man who has to stand up and take that last over says a lot about his experience and skill.

“(There’s) no bigger stage to do that than a final.

“For Mitch, that’s the icing on the cake for him.

“To stand up like that and deliver when it matters most, win an IPL for his franchise is probably the reason the Mumbai Indians got him back this season.”