I'll have to play with pain during World Cup: Ponting

Australian captain Ricky Ponting has conceded that he would have to play through pain during the entire World Cup due to his finger injury.

Ponting, who injured a left hand finger during the Ashes series, has been included in the squad despite battling pain.

"100 per cent to me is ... if I've got pain, so what?" Ponting told reporters before heading off to India.

"If it can function it's 100 per cent. That's the way I've always looked at those things. Most of the players play with some sort of pain at different times ... It does feel a lot better now," he said.

However, middle-order batsman Michael Hussey has not been lucky enough to retain his place in the side for the event starting February 19.

Ponting said keeping Hussey would have been too big a risk.

"I actually don't know (why Hussey wasn't given more time). I'm not sure if the selectors have answered that question today or yesterday either, but I know what the selectors had spoken about - they wanted to have as many fit guys ready to go for the start of the tournament as possible," he said.

"I think the medicos weren't entirely sure or convinced when Mike's injury was going to come right. Just the uncertainty around his recovery time was the main reason he wasn't selected.

"I don't think there was anything easy about squeezing Michael out of the squad, I don't think that was an easy decision to make," he added.

Ponting said Hussey's experience would be missed in the middle order.

"(Michael Hussey) is a massive loss to our group," he said.

"He's a class player in this form of the game ... a very experienced player, a leader around our group," he added.

But the skipper hoped that David Hussey would ensure that his brother is not missed that much.

"Listening to him the other day he said he probably didn't make the most of his opportunity last time around, and this time to me he looks a better and more composed and more confident player," Ponting said.

"He's been able to win games with a couple of very solid knocks for us," he added.