Former Australian captain Steve Waugh also criticised Ponting for his poor decision to use part time bowlers after tea on the fourth day. India were struggling at 166 for 6 with tail enders to follow.
The use of part time bowlers like Hussey and Michael Clarke was the turning point with Dhoni and Harbhajan adding runs on the board. Though Dhoni is a recognized batsman, Bhajji was not. He scored 50, his second in the series. They added 108 for the 7th wicket and took the lead beyond 350 where Ponting could have restricted India to less than 300 including the lead.
"I am sure Ricky would regret the decision," Waugh told the Herald Sun. "Winning the Test match is what mattered. You have just spent six weeks in the subcontinent. You just don't take your foot off the gas."
The Australian team were running late in overs. During tea, the umpires warned Ponting about the slow over rate. Ponting was under pressure to complete 25 overs in 75 minutes. Ponting was later fined for slow over rate.
"There are far too many stoppages," he said. "I remember when I played it was considered a badge of honour not to have a drink in a session [apart from the scheduled drinks break]. And no one died from dehydration. These days there are far too many drinks breaks. It's ridiculous. But it is just not the captain's fault. It is up to coaches, referees and umpires to keep the show moving."
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