Hussey is a massive loss to our group - Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting, Australia’s injured captain, believes that the decision to leave the injured batsman, Michael Hussey, out of the World Cup was a huge blow for the team.
“He’s a massive loss to our group”, Ponting stated before adding that his expertise in the middle-order batting position is always valuable to the team.
The right-handed batsman admitted that it is never easy to leave out an experienced player for such an important event, let alone someone, who possesses the talent as that of Hussey’s.
“(He’s) a very experienced player, a leader around our group and someone that’s batted in a very similar position in our team for almost as long as he’s been in the team”, Ponting added.
Hussey slammed the selectors’ decision to drop him from Australia’s World Cup squad due to his serious hamstring injury. He expressed his disappointment and “shock” on Wednesday morning when he told the media that he thought the selectors would give him
time to recover.
Hussey also pointed out that the selectors had taken a risk back in the Caribbean during the 2007 World Cup when Andrew Symonds was selected despite suffering a ruptured bicep injury.
Symonds bounced back in the later stages of the event and helped his team win the Cup. Hussey hoped a similar comeback for himself, but Cricket Australia decided that they are not prepared to take a risk for Hussey to recover in time. Therefore, he was replaced
by Callum Ferguson.
Ponting also sided with the board’s decision saying that the selectors did not want to take a chance with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s bid to defend the World Cup for the fourth time.
The 36-year old captain added that the Board wanted to fly out “fit” players to the Subcontinent so that the team prepares well for the tournament that kicks off on 19 February, 2011.
“They (selectors) wanted to have as many fit guys ready to go for the start of the tournament as possible”, Ponting told reporters, before flying out with his team to India on Wednesday night.
Australia will be preparing for their first warm-up match against co-hosts of the event, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, which is scheduled on 13 February, 2011.
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