London, Aug. 24: Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he’d given no thought to resigning despite the disappointment of another Ashes series defeat on English soil.

And it gave Ponting the unwanted record of becoming only the second Australia captain — and first since Billy Murdoch way back in 1890 — to lose two Ashes series in England.

"I’ve never doubted myself on anything I’ve ever done when I’ve had the baggy green cap on," said Ponting.

"I always get out there and accept challenges the best that I can. I wanted to make a hundred today (Sunday), to be the last man out.

"I couldn’t do that. As a leader and a captain I wanted to do as well as I possibly could and hopefully be the captain that won here.

"But I haven’t been able to do that either. I’m disappointed with my own performances," he added.

He though said that Australia had erred in leaving out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. "We probably got that wrong," he admitted. "I don’t think anyone in their wildest dreams thought the wicket would play the way it did. In hindsight, a specialist spinner would have been pretty handy out there."

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said sacking Ricky Ponting as a reaction to losing the Ashes to England, would be "completely unfair".

Sutherland defended Ponting and the selectors, who have been under fire in the wake of Australia’s loss.

Australia drop to fourth in Test rankings

Australia have been knocked off the number one slot in the ICC Test rankings and are now placed behind India at the fourth position.

Australia lost the fifth and decisive Test on Sunday by 197 runs to go down 1-2 in the series. The debacle cost Ricky Ponting’s men eight ratings points and they are now number four behind India, the ICC said in a statement.

South Africa benefitted the most by the Aussie slump becoming the new number ones, followed by Sri Lanka.

England stayed fifth but gained six ratings points and are now just 11 points behind Australia.

— AFP