Calls for Ponting to be sacked are coming from India not Australia. We think he is the best captain since Mark Taylor and deserves better then these attacks from the media. If you don't like Ponting, you don't like cricket.

Mark, Sydney, Australia

Gilchrist had a good name until this game, and now he brought himself down to the level of his captain by claiming Rahul Dravid's pad catch. Apparently many australian players got pontified.

Manas, Dallas, USA

Oh, as much as 20%. Wow, you could also say that 80% are behind the Aussie captain. The other 20% are simply continuing the long-held tradition in Australia referred to as tall-poppy syndrome. Australia cricket team are aggressive, perhaps boorish but the reaction to this test demonstrates years worth of pempt-up frustration by all "other" cricket journalists around the world just itching to have a go at the 3 x World Cup winners, All cricket teams (including the heroic Indian team - crusaders of all good things to come from cricket including the need for neutral umpiring) can be struck down with the same charge. Walking? Only person known to do this is an Aussie who's reputation is now sullied because in a blink of an eye he appealed for a catch behind! Just give it a rest, if India go home, then it really is the definition of taking your bat and ball. Get the third test started, let's see what the Indians are made of in terms of cricket intensity.

Ted, Bath,

I am surprised at the way some of the people in Australia are
supporting the behaviour of their cricket team saying this is how Australia play cricket. But then Australia is playing cricket with other countries and they are to follow the rule of the game. You may walk about without any clothes at your home, but when you walk about on the road, you are to follow the generally accepted Dress code. Mr. Ponting had the Audacity to say that if a person questions his integrity, he does not have a right to be there at the press conference. I think Mr,. ponting forgot that he was living in a democracy, and Australia was not his fiefdom, where no one could question him. I think that people in Australia must hang their head in shame for supporting the captain and his team- mates who colletively believe and behave as if they were above law. they must remeember that that they are not gifts of God to mankind . You are known for your deeds or misdeeds- the coice is yours.

Prateek Sinha, Ahmedabad, India

Ponting has crossed all limits of decency of behaviour by his brat show in the Sydney test. 'The zeal to win is paramount, one agrees, Mr. Ponting; but even so, aren't there limits to the ways victory can be achieved. You have behaved like a school-boy and now that you have already done it, why don't you take a sabbatical and really go back to school? Let me tell you, it would do you a lot of good.'
Sledging (at which the entire cricketing world agrees Australians are pioneers) apart, was the game played in the spirit of it? Ponting, do some soul-searching and tell yourself, (if you have a conscience I mean), whether the game was played really in true spirit. If you still feel you were right, go ahead. Winning is important but not at any cost - at least, not at the cost of cheating and hoodwinking. It was in a way good that the captain of the opposite team is a thoroughbred gentleman, someone else would have kicked the Australians in the face.

Jawahar, Hyderabad, India

You've got to be kidding Geoffrey! Go and sit in the corner with Roebuck...but don't try to touch his cream bun or he'll chew your arm off!!!

There is no way that Ponting has done anything that I need to feel ashamed about as an aussie.

If the Indian cricket team actually get to Perth and play, then THAT will be their chance to show their true character. I suspect that once again they will lack the ticker to get the job done. Perhaps if they get another rough decision they will actually stop part way through the match and do a Pakistan impersonation. Pity the umpire or match referee that intervenes then.

The BCCI are a bunch of knob-polishers!

Steve, Brisbane,

Having watched in annoyance and experienced a little embarrassment about how the Australian cricket team behaved recently, I feel the time is right to implement new laws to mirror the new world. Introducing more electronic devices to decide games is not the answer, although the pace
of the game has changed, and obviously will assist in line decisions. Humans play the game, not robots. The human element must remain in sport, every sport, be it playing or officiating. I believe cricket should look at taking a leaf out of football's (law) book and dismiss players from the field of play if they be act inappropriately. This will nip the racist and sledging taunts in the bud, although, not entirely, because competitive athletes perform acts of stupidity in the heat of the moment and in fact regret their actions not long afterwards.

Richard of Oz, Perth, Western Australia

Ponting seems arrogantly dismissive of the sentiment of the silent majority. They appear not to share our long held belief that a true Aussie is tough but fair, and that we are historically modest and generous people.
This brash, "We don't care less what others think attitude" has its parallels with The Bush Administration's disregard for the harm their policies abroad have done for the U.S image. Success on the field has made us more tolerant of their poor sportsmanship: Failing to walk, claiming dropped catches etc, but enough is enough.
We are a tiny nation with a big heart and a proud history of fighting injustice and defending the meek. As captain, Ponting should have spoken to the team about the aggressive appealing and confrontational style. This I can forgive, but his comments since, shame me as an Australian.

Eugene Toerien, London, England