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Ponting ruled out of the 1st two Tests |
Melbourne, September 30:
 Australia
captain Ricky Ponting will miss the first two
Tests of the series against India starting next
week because of a broken thumb, Cricket
Australia (CA) team doctor Trefor James said.
The 29-year-old Ponting saw a specialist in
Sydney on Thursday. "The bone seems to be
repairing well and there has been no change in
the status of the injury," James said in a CA
statement.
"Ricky will visit the specialist again on
October 14, and with the injury progressing at
its current rate, we expect he'll be available
for the third test in Nagpur (October 26-30)."
Ponting said he had been expecting the news.
"I'm obviously shattered that I won't be part of
the series until at least the halfway mark, but
it's an outcome I was prepared for, he said.
"Because of the delicate nature of the injury,
there's not a lot I can do until the bone is
fully repaired."
The second of four Tests starts on October 14 in
Madras after the first match in Bangalore.
Ponting fractured his left thumb while fielding
at slip during this month's ICC Champions Trophy
semi-final defeat by hosts England. Uncapped
Victoria batsman Brad Hodge was sent to India to
replace Ponting, and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist
was handed the test captaincy as Australia, the
world's top-ranked team, seek their first Test
series victory in India since 1969-70
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