News

Ponting to miss third Test

Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the third Test against India due to his broken thumb still requiring time to heal

Wisden Cricinfo staff
22-Jun-2005


Ricky Ponting: more time on the sidelines © Getty Images
Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the third Test against India as his broken thumb still requires time to heal. X-rays revealed that his thumb wasn't in shape to allow him to play in the third Test at Nagpur, starting on October 26.
Ponting will remain in Sydney, where the X-rays were taken, and was hopeful of playing in the fourth Test at Mumbai, which starts on November 3. "The thumb is certainly healing," said Ponting, "but there is no strength in it, and the medical advice is that I would be a one-in-a-hundred chance of being right for the third Test. Basically it just needs some more time to heal properly."
Trefor James, Cricket Australia's medical adviser, added that there could be a reassessment again next week. James also added that the examination by Ian Hargreaves, a Sydney specialist, had confirmed that the bone in Ponting's broken thumb was knitting well.