Former captain Ricky Ponting is weighing up his future after he was dropped from Australia’s one-day squad.
Ponting’s one-day international career is effectively over after his tri-series tally of 18 runs at an average of 3.6 against India and Sri Lanka cost him his place in the team.
National selector John Inverarity said it was unlikely Ponting would be able to force his way back into the one-day set-up given the need to prepare the squad ahead of the 2015 World Cup.
And Inverarity said there were no guarantees Ponting would continue on in the Test arena, despite the 37-year-old’s stunning return to form at the tail-end of this summer’s Test series against India.
“Ricky is going to consider his future over the next couple of days and he’ll talk it over with his family and with his manager and my guess is he’ll be giving a press conference in the next two or three days,” Inverarity said on Monday.
“He made a double century in his last Test match and we are hoping that he remains available for Test match cricket, but there can be no guarantees in elite sport and in the Australian cricket team.
“For a man who has played cricket like Ricky has for 15 or more years, he has been an integral part of the Australian team for ODIs and Test matches.
“If he drops out of the ODI team then there’s a possible lack of momentum there.
“There are three Test matches in the West Indies, then as I understand it there are no more Test matches until October or November.”
Ponting has made 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03 in 375 ODIs, while his 13,200 runs over 162 Tests ranks him the third highest run scorer in Test cricket behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
Inverarity also confirmed Matthew Wade had officially taken over from Brad Haddin as the preferred wicket-keeper in the one-day set-up.
Captain Michael Clarke returned to the squad of 13 following a minor hamstring complaint, while star allrounder Shane Watson earned inclusion for the first time this season after returning from injury in NSW’s Sheffield Shield loss to Western Australia.
Pace bowler Ryan Harris, who was rested from Sunday’s win over India at the Gabba, is back for left-armer Mitchell Starc.
Clarke’s one-day side have three wins from their five matches and lead the table on 14 points, four points ahead of India and seven points clear of Sri Lanka who’ve played only four matches.
Australia’s squad to play Sri Lanka in Hobart on Friday and India on Sunday in Sydney: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Peter Forrest, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
