Ponting ruled out of third India Test

Ricky Ponting said on Thursday his injured left thumb will keep him out of the third Test and put him in doubt for the fourth as well.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said on Thursday his injured left thumb will keep him out of the third cricket Test against India, and put him in doubt for the fourth and final match in early November.

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Ponting told a news conference he'd seen a specialist and was told his thumb wasn't healing as quickly as he had hoped. His announcement coincided with the start of the second Test against India at Chennai.

The Australians won the series opener at Bangalore last week, with wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist filling in as captain.

"Naturally I'm pretty disappointed not to be ready," said Ponting.

"The thumb is certainly healing, but there is no strength in it, and the medical advice is that I would be a one-in-a-100 chance of being right for the third test."

Match three in the four-Test series begins on October 26 at Nagpur.

"Basically it just needs some more time to heal properly." Ponting said.

Ponting hasn't played since breaking his thumb while fielding during the ICC Champions Trophy in England last month. The injury occurred during Australia's loss to England in the semifinal.