Cricket Australia is not really surprised by pace sensation James Pattinson's injury breakdown in the ongoing Test series against India as it did not expect him to last all the four matches without getting rest in between.
Published: Jan 09, 2012, 11:54 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 09, 2012, 11:54 AM (IST)
James Pattinson has been ruled out of the remaining Tests with foot injury © Getty Images
Sydney: Jan 9, 2012
Cricket Australia is not really surprised by pace sensation James Pattinson’s injury breakdown in the ongoing Test series against India as it did not expect him to last all the four matches without getting rest in between.
CA team performance manager Pat Howard said in final analysis it is good that Ryan Harris is ready to take Pattinson’s place in an unintended rotation of players.
“James was playing very, very well. We knew his workloads were high going into that Sydney Test,” Howard was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
“We knew he wasn’t going to get through the whole of the series unless he got a rest somewhere. Knowing that Ryan would be fit for Perth there was the ability for Patto to be rested.
Some may say it’s unfortunate (Pattinson was injured), some may say it’s fortunate he got to play in such a great game and Ryan is ready for the next one,” he added.
Howard, however, conceded that this is not how the CA intends to go about rotating players.
“On an individual basis I appreciate it’s not perfect. On a collective basis and a planning basis we’re actually quite happy how those guys (Harris and Mitchell Starc, who are in the squad for Perth) have got themselves back in reasonable condition,” he said.
Pattinson joins a casualty ward that also includes Mitchell Johnson (foot), Doug Bollinger (hamstring), Shane Watson (calf).
Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said injuries would have to be accepted as part and parcel of the game.
“The game is different now, we just have to embrace it and get better at it. We have to find ways of managing players better and managing injuries better and work around the schedules that are there,” he said. (PTI)
