Ponting may use guard to protect thumb

Ausssie skipper said he will consider wearing a guard to protect his thumb in a bid to play a role in the Test series against India.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said on Thursday he will consider wearing a guard to protect his thumb in a bid to play a role in the Test cricket series against India.

HT Image

Ponting, who has missed the first two Tests in the four-match series on the sub-continent, broke his left thumb while fielding during Australia's six-wicket loss to England in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final at Edgbaston.

He flies out on Friday in the hope of playing in the fourth and final Test against Sourav Ganguly's Indians in Mumbai, starting on November 3.

"I'll test things out when I first get there. The first couple of days when I get there I'll just go pretty easily with catching and fielding drills," Ponting told reporters here on Thursday.

"I just want to get used to the feeling of the ball back in my hands again and take it pretty slowly.

"But I have had some protective guards made for fielding, if I'm not overly confident but I've still got another two weeks until the fourth Test comes around and by then I should be confident with it."