By IANS,
Sydney : An Australian newspaper Saturday hailed cricket captain Ricky pointing’s decision to skip the second edition of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Australian cricket team is in the midst of an 18-month long season and Ponting is not the only player to skip the Twenty20 league. His deputy Michael Clarke and fast bowler Mitchell Johnson have already shown their reluctance to join the league, The Australian reported.
“Ponting made the wise decision to spend time at home and it will help him to be relaxed before the Ashes,” said the report.
“Twenty20 might be fast but it takes a toll on the mind and body of cricketers. Matthew Hayden never found his form after the IPL while Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee underwent operations last year after playing in the league.”
For Ponting, it has been a mental challenge in leading the side that is slowly losing its position as top cricketing side in the world. First it lost a series in India and then suffered a humiliation at the hands of the South Africans at home.