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Crammed schedule may force Aussies to skip IPL
Ricky Ponting has indicated that due to a crammed international tour ahead none of his team-mate would be able to play in the 2nd edition of IPL.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: January 22, 2009 05:57 PM IST
Read Time:2 min
Melbourne:
Ponting urged Cricket Australia prioritise the team's schedule so that he could have all the big players fit for important series like Ashes.
"There has been a lot made about that (the IPL) and we might have one week after Pakistan in Abu Dhabi or wherever it may be. I think we need to worry about the international program before we worry about the IPL," Ponting said.
Australia have a non-stop cricket schedule until May 2010 as they will play 26 Tests and about 54 ODIs and 20 Twenty20 internationals apart from domestic Twenty20 tournaments like Champions League.
Australia are already grappling with injuries to many players like all-rounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson. "I think the players, Cricket Australia and the players' association need to start prioritising which of the tournaments that we want to have the team as fit and raring to go as best we possibly can," Ponting was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.
"As we know there are lot of one-off little one-day tournaments and and some big Test series around those with South Africa over there and then the Ashes.
"The important thing for me is prioritising that and making sure we have all the players that are taking part in those big Test series as fit and ready to go for those," Ponting said.
However the Australian captain dismissed suggestions that too much cricket was the main cause of injuries to his players.
"Does it just come down to workload?" Ponting asked. "I think we pay so much attention to workload ... that sometimes it is just the run that you have (with injuries).
"But that is why this next phase is so important for us because we can't afford to be going into the Ashes with eight Cricket Australia (contracted) players out injured," he said.
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has indicated that due to a crammed international tour ahead none of his team-mate would be able to play in the second edition of the Indian Premier League.Ponting urged Cricket Australia prioritise the team's schedule so that he could have all the big players fit for important series like Ashes.
"There has been a lot made about that (the IPL) and we might have one week after Pakistan in Abu Dhabi or wherever it may be. I think we need to worry about the international program before we worry about the IPL," Ponting said.
Australia have a non-stop cricket schedule until May 2010 as they will play 26 Tests and about 54 ODIs and 20 Twenty20 internationals apart from domestic Twenty20 tournaments like Champions League.
Australia are already grappling with injuries to many players like all-rounders Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson. "I think the players, Cricket Australia and the players' association need to start prioritising which of the tournaments that we want to have the team as fit and raring to go as best we possibly can," Ponting was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.
"As we know there are lot of one-off little one-day tournaments and and some big Test series around those with South Africa over there and then the Ashes.
"The important thing for me is prioritising that and making sure we have all the players that are taking part in those big Test series as fit and ready to go for those," Ponting said.
However the Australian captain dismissed suggestions that too much cricket was the main cause of injuries to his players.
"Does it just come down to workload?" Ponting asked. "I think we pay so much attention to workload ... that sometimes it is just the run that you have (with injuries).
"But that is why this next phase is so important for us because we can't afford to be going into the Ashes with eight Cricket Australia (contracted) players out injured," he said.
Topics mentioned in this article
Cricket Australia Cricket Team
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