The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : No team policy on walking: Ponting

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 24, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

No team policy on walking: Ponting

By Our Special Correspondent

Ricky Ponting at a press conference in Mumbai.

MUMBAI, OCT. 23. Australia has batting, bowling and fielding strategies for this India tour with the ultimate aim of winning the series, but there is no team policy to walk said its captain Ricky Ponting here on Saturday.

Ponting who has not touched the bat for four weeks following a thumb injury felt that the decision of a few Australian and an Indian batsmen to walk has been `blown out of proportion.'

"I think all batsmen walk at some stage in their career. Some times it's just the way one reacts, some times you really don't have control over it and some times it's like what Adam Gilchrist does. He's made up his mind to walk all the time. I have not heard that from the other Australian players. Well, I read the other day in a newspaper that Damien Martyn is now a walker, because he was caught at first slip and he walked off!'' said Ponting tongue in cheek.

Ponting, looking forward to make the most of it in the fourth Test in Mumbai said Australia found a way out to play bright and successful cricket in Sri Lanka early this year by being tough, disciplined and patient. "That's the way we have to play in this part of the world. Things can change, if you move away from your game plan. What has been pleasing to me so far is that the guys have been very disciplined in executing their plans. Even the field placements have been different from the past.''

Ponting, who will have net practice in Nagpur said, "I don't want to rush into things. I will be working hard, probably harder than anybody. First and foremost I have to see how my thumb reacts after a couple of batting sessions. I was actually wondering if I would be able to take part in the series at all. I had a pretty ordinary series here in 2001. I wanted to play a big part in the series as a batsman and captain as well. That's the hardest thing to do. Even harder was to sit back and see Australia win. I know what it means to me and the rest of the team to win a Test match in India. The cricket played so far has been outstanding. We are in a good position. It's frustrating that I will just have two innings to prove myself in India. We won't be coming to India till 2010, I would probably be a spring chicken then.''

Reacting to Sachin Tendulkar reporting fit for the Nagpur Test he said: "I guess his absence has been disappointing for the spectators. And as players, we want to be judged against the best. Probably we have not played the best Indian team so far. I am sure some of the Indian players will regain their confidence. How well he is prepared is a different story, I am not sure how much batting he has been doing behind the scenes. There is pressure on him to come back and play because of the way the series is placed at the moment.''

About Glenn McGrath Ponting said, "what he has done so far has been amazing. It's a big milestone for him. It's a fantastic achievement to play 100 Tests for Australia. Congratulations to him. He's a guy everyone would like to have in the team.''

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport