On Tuesday, his team avenged their defeat at home to South Africa by taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the return series. England, who meet Australia in Cardiff on July 8 in the opening Test of the 2009 Ashes, failed on the same day to snatch the win which would have squared their series in the West Indies.

"It is certainly a unique phase in my career as a captain," Ponting told reporters. "To have a number of debutants and a number of inexperienced guys in the side, it's something I haven't been accustomed to in the majority of my career as a captain.

"I've said right from the start that when these challenges come up and this transitional phase first started I always looked at it as being one of the most exciting little phases of my career."