Describing Ricky Ponting as the "elephant in the room", former New Zealand captain Chris Cairns has said that Cricket Australia (CA) needs to end his 16-year long Test career in order to move forward.
"I don't think you can have two years averaging 27 as a No 3. I think it's his time (to retire)," Cairns said.
"And when you look at the likes of Mark Taylor, (Ian) Healy, Mark Waugh – they were told it was their time. And there's an elephant in the room at the moment in Ricky Ponting that nobody is really addressing," he was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
The former Kiwi all-rounder, who retired from Test cricket at the age of 34, also felt that Ponting should himself call it a day after the Hobart Test against New Zealand.
"Don't get me wrong, I've got the utmost respect for Ricky Ponting but there's a time and a place. And for me, his time and place is Hobart in the second Test against New Zealand. That's to say, 'Thanks very much'," insisted Cairns.
