RICKY PONTING, DAVID WARNER & PUNEET SINGH: A NEW ERA FOR AUSTRALIA CHAMPIONS
Australian cricket royalty came together in Melbourne as Ricky Ponting joined Puneet Singh as co-owner, David Warner took the captaincy, and Puneet confidently declared there was “no question” they would be holding up the cup.
Australian cricket has always been built on a particular combination of confidence, competition and an unwavering desire to win.
And there was plenty of all three in the room when Puneet Singh, Ricky Ponting and David Warner came together in Melbourne to officially unveil a new era for Australia Champions ahead of the World Championship of Legends Season 3 this October.
Held at Eureka 89 in Melbourne on Tuesday, 8 September and hosted by Erin Holland, the wife of Ben Cutting, the press conference marked a major development for Australia Champions, with legendary former Australian captain Ricky Ponting joining Puneet Singh in the ownership group, while David Warner was announced as captain for the upcoming season.
Three men. Three very different roles. And one very clear ambition.
They want the trophy.
PUNEET SINGH: “NO QUESTION, WE WILL BE HOLDING UP THE CUP”
For Puneet Singh, bringing Ponting into Australia Champions represents far more than adding another famous name to the franchise.
It brings one of cricket’s most accomplished leaders and greatest strategic minds into the team.
Speaking at the Melbourne press conference, Singh made clear just how highly he regards his new co-owner.
“I’m so looking forward to having Ricky as co-owner of the team. He has one of the best cricketing minds in the world, one of the most respected leaders in this game and is so respected worldwide.”
It didn’t take long, however, for the conversation to turn towards winning.
Looking across at his newly appointed captain, David Warner, Singh joked:
“No pressure to the captain.”
But the smile didn’t diminish his confidence in what Australia Champions can achieve this October.
“No question, we will be holding up the cup.”
It was bold.
But Australian cricket has never exactly been known for lacking confidence.
And when you’ve brought together the cricketing mind of Ricky Ponting and the competitive intensity of David Warner, perhaps confidence is warranted.
PONTING AND WARNER — BACK TOGETHER
For Ricky Ponting and David Warner, this new partnership also carries with it a wonderful piece of Australian cricket history.
Ponting reflected on the end of his international career and Warner’s presence during that emotional final chapter.
“David carried me off when I retired in Perth, but we are back together now.”
It is a remarkable full-circle moment.
Warner was part of the Australian side when Ponting played his final Test against South Africa in Perth in 2012.
Almost 14 years later, the pair find themselves back on the same side.
Only this time, their roles look very different.
Ponting also spoke candidly about something many elite sportspeople experience when their playing careers come to an end — just how difficult it can be to replace the feeling of competition after it has consumed so much of your life.
“When you’re not competing, it’s hard to replace that back into your life.”
Cricket, however, has never really left Ponting.
Coaching has allowed him to remain immersed in the contest and has even seen him working alongside some of the same players he once stood opposite on the cricket field.
“I’ve ended up coaching some of the guys that I played against, and now this will be similar. It will round out the years of my cricket life.”
And then came the line that will undoubtedly leave plenty of Australian cricket fans wondering what might have been.
“Had it been five or six years earlier, I would also have played.”
Imagine that for a moment.
Ricky Ponting pulling the pads back on and facing some of the greatest names of his generation once again.
We might not get Punter at the crease, but Australia Champions will have something potentially just as valuable.
The cricket brain of Ricky Ponting.
Then there is David Warner.
Few Australian cricketers of the modern era have brought the aggression, intensity and sheer entertainment factor to the game that Warner has.
Now he gets to bring that mentality to Australia Champions.
Warner made his enthusiasm for the opportunity clear at the Melbourne press conference.
“I couldn’t be happier to be on board and to have got the call from Puneet.”
Then came perhaps one of the best lines of the press conference.
Referring to Ponting by the nickname Australian cricket fans know so well, Warner said:
“I’m under Punter now.”
It was a light-hearted line, but one that perfectly captured the familiarity between the two Australian cricket greats.
For Warner, the timing of this new role is also significant.
As he looks towards the next stages of his life in cricket, he spoke about Australia Champions as another exciting chapter in that journey.
“It’s a great chapter to move into my life, with me heading out of the game in a few years.”
The opportunity gives Warner another chance to lead, compete and reconnect with players and opponents who have shared some of cricket’s biggest stages with him.
And anyone who has watched David Warner compete knows one thing:
He doesn’t do competition quietly.
WHEN THE LEGENDS RETURN
The World Championship of Legends is built around exactly that sense of competition, nostalgia and unfinished business.
The international T20 tournament brings together some of cricket’s most recognisable names, allowing players who once represented their countries on the world’s biggest stages to reignite old rivalries.
And in 2026, the legends are heading somewhere new.
World Championship of Legends Season 3 will take place in the United Arab Emirates from 3–18 October 2026, marking the tournament’s first season in the UAE after its opening two editions were staged in the United Kingdom.
For more information, please visit https://wclcricket.com\
Written by Melinda Sullivan
Photography by Melinda Sullivan.
