Even Punter is not fully fit

[SachDan]

Ponting braves wrist injury before Delhi Test MELBOURNE: An injury plagued Australian camp's troubles could deepen with skipper Ricky Ponting's nagging wrist injury needing daily treatment. Ponting, who had taken cortisone injection in his right wrist during their 320-run loss Test at Mohali, said he is still feeling the pain a bit. However, that won't stop Ponting from leading his side at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla in the third Test. The Aussie skipper underwent surgery in Melbourne early July to repair tissue and tendon damage to his wrist. He has been batting with his right wrist bandaged and was examined again at training on Sunday by physio Alex Kountouris, who is giving Ponting almost daily treatment. "It hasn't been great for the whole trip but I've got what I've got," Ponting was quoted as saying in The Australian. "I'm taking treatment almost daily and I had another cortisone injection on the fourth night of the last Test. It's almost a week since then so it was expected to settle down quite a bit but I've still got a bit of discomfort." "I didn't bat with painkillers on Sunday but have to during most sessions." Despite the injury and a poor second Test, Ponting, who slammed his maiden Test century on the Indian soil at Bangalore, feels he is in a good nick. "After a few days off, I feel really good about my batting," he said. "It (the injury) is affecting me a little bit but people watching me bat wouldn't notice anything. It's not hindering strokeplay, it's just annoying," Ponting said. Australia has been hit with spate of injuries on this tour, with leg-spinner Bryce McGain (shoulder) and opening batsman Phil Jaques (back) sent home without playing a match. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1201727

[Dinx - the Jinx]

Thanks Sachdan for digging this out and posting. While the entire Indian media and cricket fans world over are putting pressure on Kumble as a player and captain to sit out and give way for a rookie leg spinner (I dont have anything against Amit, I'm sure he's a good player and can wait for a few more months), why isn't anyone asking Ponting to sit out. I'm putting across my points here to support my case... 1. In 9 matches beginning with the Melbourne test against last year, Ponting has scored at an average of 43.41 which is 14 points less than his career average. 2. In this period he priod he has scored only 3 centuries and 5 half centuries, out of which 1 ton came against WI and 2 came in draws and did not have any impact on the match. 3. His record against India as a captain is very poor. And his conduct even poorer. Even the last series in India, it was Gilchrist who won the series for Australia, before Ponting returned, only to lose the final match. 4. His handling of the bowling resources has moved from ordinary to worse. 5. He has been struggling against Ishant, who has wrestled the right to call him his bunny from Bajji. 6. His scores at the Feroz Shah Kotla are 14 and 13. Ther' s no way he is going to turn this around. 7. He's not fully fit and he will only let his team down if he takes the field knowing well that he is not 100% Hence my lord, in the interest of Australian cricket, Ponting should step down as captain and ask Pup (he's not better either, but Australia have no other choice) to lead from the front, if they want to keep the series alive till the plane lands in Nagpur.

[Dravid]

ponting injured his wrist when trying to brush off the dust on kotla pitch with a broom :D

[punjabi_khota]

Thanks Sachdan for digging this out and posting. While the entire Indian media and cricket fans world over are putting pressure on Kumble as a player and captain to sit out and give way for a rookie leg spinner (I dont have anything against Amit, I'm sure he's a good player and can wait for a few more months), why isn't anyone asking Ponting to sit out. I'm putting across my points here to support my case... 1. In 9 matches beginning with the Melbourne test against last year, Ponting has scored at an average of 43.41 which is 14 points less than his career average. 2. In this period he priod he has scored only 3 centuries and 5 half centuries, out of which 1 ton came against WI and 2 came in draws and did not have any impact on the match. 3. His record against India as a captain is very poor. And his conduct even poorer. Even the last series in India, it was Gilchrist who won the series for Australia, before Ponting returned, only to lose the final match. 4. His handling of the bowling resources has moved from ordinary to worse. 5. He has been struggling against Ishant, who has wrestled the right to call him his bunny from Bajji. 6. His scores at the Feroz Shah Kotla are 14 and 13. Ther' s no way he is going to turn this around. 7. He's not fully fit and he will only let his team down if he takes the field knowing well that he is not 100% Hence my lord, in the interest of Australian cricket, Ponting should step down as captain and ask Pup (he's not better either, but Australia have no other choice) to lead from the front, if they want to keep the series alive till the plane lands in Nagpur.

3 centuries and 5 fifties in 9 matches is pretty good. Plus just because he failed in Kotla earlier doesn't mean anything.

[Cricketics]

lol at calculating ponting's average at kotla.. guy played a test match in kotla in `1996 when mongia made that famous 150 odd. thats like 12 years ago.. average doesn't matter