India v Australia, Twenty20 international, Mumbai

Ponting eager to play against champions

Anand Vasu in Mumbai

October 19, 2007

Ricky Ponting: "Everything you do through a 50-over game, you have to do it right at the start of a Twenty20 game" © Getty Images

Ricky Ponting says his players are keen to test themselves against the World Twenty20 champions in Mumbai on Saturday. "We are pretty excited actually and looking forward to the match against a team which won the World Cup a few weeks ago," Ponting said. He also sought to underplay the hype surrounding the game, just as he hoped the tired debate over verbal volleys would die down.

"There are a lot of things said in the build -up to this game," he said. "Probably there was more talk about this game than the one-dayers. So I would expect good entertaining Twenty20 cricket and we are looking forward to it. It's a nice way to wind up the tour - to tell you the truth - to be playing a game like this around which there has been so much build up and talk."

When asked whether it was more difficult to adjust to the shorter version from the longer version Ponting said: "I am not sure what is more difficult, going into a longer-format of the game from Twenty20 or the other way round. But we do prepare slightly differently for this form of the game.

"We get time to go out there and settle down in a 50-over game. There is some time in Twenty20 also, but not much. So you might go there and start hitting everything from the first ball and make sure you are timing everything spot on right from the word go. It's a lot more intense. Everything you do through a 50-over game, you have to do it right at the start of a Twenty20 game. That's the way the preparation is."

Ponting also conceded that it was difficult to plan too much for a Twenty20 match. "This game is harder than any other game to plan. Because things just change so quickly, you've got to be changing your field placings almost every ball, mix and match your bowlers to suit the batsman. Everything is on-the-spur-of-the-moment stuff here."

There was also some doubt about Matthew Hayden playing the game, as he has a sore throat, but Ponting "pretty much guaranteed" his return. He also acknowledged Brad Hogg's impact in the series, but said his selection in the side wasn't guaranteed.

"That's the thing we have to decide. We had a look at the wicket, it looks good. There is no doubt the wickets turn a bit in this part of the world as we saw in the Champions Trophy. But even in that tournament we played five fast bowlers, four frontline and Shane Watson. I think we've got bowlers who can adapt and adjust to any conditions so we leave that decision until we finalise our side on Saturday."

Anand Vasu is an associate editor at Cricinfo

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