rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Cricket » Could be time up for Ponting as well: Warne
This article was first published 13 years ago

Could be time up for Ponting as well: Warne

Last updated on: June 17, 2011 16:56 IST

Image: Shane Warne
Photographs: Reuters

Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne feels Ricky Ponting was lucky to survive the axe despite average batting, as the selectors chose to drop an 'easy' prey in Simon Katich.

- Katich vents spleen over 'unfair' axing

The Australian selectors invited criticism from former players and fans after dropping a very consistent Katich from the players' contracted list.

"Simon Katich is an easy guy to drop, if that makes sense, I don't think anyone is easy but Simon Katich is a lot harder than Ricky Ponting who averages 25 at the moment," Warne was quoted as saying by The Australian.

'Ponting will be under pressure to perform'

Image: Simon Katich

Katich was averaging 50 as an opener and 45 from his last 14 innings, despite being injured for the last four of those.

Warne said after Katich, Ponting would be under pressure to perform.

- Former Aussie stars slam Hilditch

"I think what they are trying to do with Ricky at the moment is say 'well let's take the captaincy off him and see how it goes'," Warne said.

"I think they will give him a bit of a trial but hopefully if he is not performing he will put his hand up and say 'I will retire'.

"It's one of those tough situations where if he's not performing it's pretty hard for a selector to come up and say 'Ricky don't you think it is time to retire, we are going to drop you'," he added.

'Katich's axing was a shock to me'

Image: Ponting and Katich

Ponting, appearing on a television show, said Katich's axing shocked him.

"It's fair to say he (Katich) didn't hold back in his press conference and rightly so as well. To be omitted from the contract list was a great shock to him.

"It was a shock to me. I was surprised that he wasn't named. His performance in the last two or three years has been almost as anybody's in the world," Ponting said.

'36-year-olds Mike Hussey and myself on notice now'

Image: Ponting and Hussey

Ponting admitted that the performance of his and Mike Hussey would now be under scrutiny.

"I would have liked to have another old bloke around the group with me, yeah.

"It puts us 36-year-olds on notice now, Mike Hussey and myself. It's going to make us work that little bit harder," he said.

© Copyright 2024 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.