By IANS
Brisbane : Australia captain Ricky Ponting is optimistic that he will recover in time for the inaugural match against India in the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series starting Sunday.
Ponting who missed the one off Twenty20 match against India Friday because of a lower back problem along with Matthew Hayden, suffering from right thigh problem, is on the doubtful list for the match at the Gabba.
However dismissing further speculation on his fitness, Ponting Saturday gave himself greater than 90 percent chance of playing.
“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I probably would have felt more comfortable playing a 50-over game (on Friday) than a Twenty20 just because of the unpredictability and the rigours and intensity of the game. It’s something that was playing on my mind a little bit (on Friday),” he said.
In the meanwhile, Adam Voges, the Western Australian batsman who impressed with his two-wicket haul in the Twenty20 match against India, has been called as a possible replacement for Hayden and Ponting.
Ashley Noffke, the Queensland fast bowler, too has been called to the squad after Stuart Clark, who came in the place of troubled speedster Shaun Tait, stayed in Sydney for family reasons. However, Noffke’s chances of making his debut Sunday rest on Hayden and Ponting missing the match.