Ponting: fast start vital

Australia skipper has unfinished business with India

Last updated: 30th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Ponting: fast start vital

Ponting: poor record in India

I've never mastered batting in these conditions.

Ricky Ponting
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Australia captain Ricky Ponting is keen to end his dismal record in India during the upcoming two-Test series.

Ponting averages just 20.85 in 12 Tests on Indian soil, compared with a career mark of 54.66.

Now approaching his 36th birthday, the Tasmanian knows this could be his final chance to set the record straight.

"It's a place that I've never mastered," admitted Ponting prior to the series opener in Mohali, starting on Friday.

"I've never mastered batting in these conditions.

Positive

"I felt that in the last series over here (in 2008), I took some really big strides in becoming a better player on the subcontinent.

"My first hundred in Bangalore at the start of the series was satisfying.

"I made 80-odd in Delhi. There were some positive signs for me last time and learning a bit more about the conditions and the Indian bowlers gives me a chance to hopefully have a good series."

Ponting wants Australia to seize the initiative early on as there will be little time to bounce back in such a short series.

"You don't want to be going behind in a two-Test series, that's for sure," he added. "It's hard to work your way back into it from there.

"Generally, we are very good starters as well. Our record starting a Test series is very good. That's one area we can focus on a little bit more, making sure that we start the game well."

Australia have yet to decide on the participation of batsman Mike Hussey and left-arm paceman Doug Bollinger.

Both arrived late for the tour as they were playing for the Chennai Super Kings at the Champions League T20.

Harbhajan doubt

India will also wait until Friday morning before naming their starting XI as they wait on the fitness of spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Harbhajan, Ponting's tormentor in chief over the years, is battling to recover from an ankle sprain.

The Mohali wicket has a seamer-friendly reputation, meaning the hosts are likely to play just one spinner alongside a three-pronged seam attack of Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Shantha Sreesanth.

If Harbhajan is ruled out, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha is his probable replacement, although leg-spinner Amit Mishra is also included in a 15-man squad.

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt, wkt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Shantakumran Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Cheteswar Pujara, Murali Vijay

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Philip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Johnson, Tim Paine (wkt), James Pattinson, Peter George, Nathan Hauritz, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc

Comments (2)

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Jack Sam says...

India can win this series if sehwag bats well and harbha singh bowls well, else no way...

Posted 20:20 30th September 2010

Rudra Singh says...

india will maintain the 1st rank

Posted 19:05 30th September 2010
  • Page 1 of 1
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