By IANS
Sydney : Australia captain Ricky Ponting and in-form all-rounder James Hopes have backed Andrew Symonds to rediscover his batting form against India in the Commonwealth Bank Triangular One-day series game here Sunday.
“It tends to happen – when you’re in a bit of a rut like I am, you tend to find ways of getting out. I really do think it’s only getting a half-hour or an hour in the middle, every batsman says that,” Ponting said a day ahead of the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Ponting said left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson would stay in Melbourne for a rest with Brett Lee to return for the match, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“With a player like that it could come tomorrow and all he needs is a couple of shots and he is away again,” said Hopes, Symonds’ Queensland team mate.
Symonds, the most expensive overseas signing at $1.35 million at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Mumbai Wednesday, has scored just 42 runs at 8.4 in the triangular series.
Australia’s most concerning numbers are captain Ponting’s. He has made only 64 runs in six innings for an average of 10.66. The captain said national selector Andrew Hilditch had suggested taking some time off to help reverse his form.