Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who is struggling with form, said his preparation for the Boxing Day Test against India will be the best but admitted that he is currently focused on Twenty20 cricket.
Published: Dec 17, 2011, 07:52 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 17, 2011, 07:52 PM (IST)
Ricky Ponting said he wants to win a game for the Hobart Hurricanes and Test preparation will start after that © Getty Images
Sydney: Dec 17, 2011
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who is struggling with form, said his preparation for the Boxing Day Test against India will be the best but admitted that he is currently focused on Twenty20 cricket.
Ponting, who turns 37 Monday, said he desperately wants to play the Big Bash Twenty20 league and said it would not harm his preparation for the Test series.
“It’s not my preparation for the Tests. I’m here to win a game for the Hobart Hurricanes. My Test preparation starts after that. So I’ll worry about that on Tuesday when we’re back into camp as a Test team,” Ponting was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun ahead of his 15th and potentially final Boxing Day appearance.
“But while I’m here with the Hurricanes, I’ll be training and preparing the best way that I can to make sure I’m playing good Twenty20 cricket. With the amount of time and effort that’s been put into the Big Bash the last couple of years and certainly this season I think it’s really important that all the players do the best they can to make the game the best spectacle possible,” said Ponting.
Ponting was scheduled to turn out for the Hurricanes against the Sydney Sixers in Tasmania Wednesday but has pulled out of that match after being summoned to the Test team’s batting camp to be held in Melbourne this week.
Ponting said the bating camp was needed and said he had spoken to coach Mickey Arthur about its aims.(IANS)
