The art of field at slips is something not everyone has. One can be a great fielder on any part of the ground, but fielding at slip is another thing entirely and even best of outfield fielders fail to make an impact at slips.

This is why Sri Lanka made a comeback against India in the third Test after a couple of mishaps in the slips by Indian fielders. With the South Africa series up ahead, there are talks to Indian team hiring a slip fielding coach to tune the players for the art—and according to Matthew Hayden, there is none better than Ricky Ponting.

"The cricket world hasn't thought about a slip fielding coach, but if they need one, then it has to be Ricky Ponting. He was outstanding," Hayden told mid-day recently.

The big Aussie also insisted that shuffling the fielders constantly by changing their fielding positions is something that would only hurt the team.

"One should not change fielders from their allotted positions. If Mr X stands regularly in the first slip area, he should be allowed to remain there only because in the process he will feels comfortable to stand in the same spot.

Haydos believes that making a fielder field in one spot allows that person to adjust his movements in such a way that he fine-tunes himself into a specialist.

"Ultimately, he will do personal adjustments to his fielding when he gets the opportunity to stand in the same position again."