Ponting wary of India by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	RT Ponting
Event:	Australia in India 2009/10

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DateLine: 20th October 2009

 

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting asked his players to disregard India's unimpressive Champions Trophy form.

 

A rejuvenated Ponting, left Sydney airport on Monday evening ahead of his side's seven-match ODI series against India beginning on Sunday.

 

"They'll be particularly hard to beat in India - they always are," Ponting said.

 

"They definitely play a lot better at home than they do when they travel. I actually tipped them as one of the strongest sides for the Champions Trophy to tell the truth.

 

"The game against us which was a washout game was shaping up as being a terrific game of one-day cricket and that was something that probably cost India along the way. But that's tournament play - those things can happen.

 

"I noticed that they've made a few changes to their squad as well for the games against us and we'll obviously be missing Michael Clarke and Nathan Bracken again, and (Callum) Ferguson being out as well means the younger guys will get an opportunity to step up again."

 

Ponting said Ferguson's absence will be a significant loss but the skipper remained confident the remaining members of the middle order can fill the void.

 

"I know that he's been, and certainly the medical team have been hoping that he'll be, on the improve sooner rather than later. So hopefully he is fit to join the squad as soon as possible," he said.

 

"He's the number four batsman in the side and the vice-captain of the team and one of the more experienced players that actually handles Indian conditions very well, so we'll keep our fingers crossed."

 

Ponting also admited that Shaun Marsh's return would serve him a problem of plenty considering the good form Tim Paine showed during the Champions Trophy.

 

"Paine coming in has had a fair bit of success at the top of the order and probably given himself every opportunity to remain there," Ponting observed.

 

"But if you go back six or seven months Shaun was one of the up-and-coming batsman in our team and someone that's got a very good record at the top of the order for us.

 

"So we've got some tough decisions to make there but whichever way we go we know we've got very good depth in our batting... so hopefully we get it right on the morning of the first game."