India Australia Series

Ponting hopes to beat distracted India

Australia captain Ricky Ponting hopes to exploit a distracted Indian team in the must-win fourth cricket Test following the International Cricket Council’s decision to uphold opener Gautam Gambhir’s one-match ban.

Ponting remains uncertain whether the suspension of Gambhir, who elbowed Australian Shane Watson in the chest while attempting a run during the drawn third Test in New Delhi, will actually translate into the batsman not appearing in the series-deciding contest.

“It’s going to be an awkward situation for me to be put in tomorrow (Thursday) if I get out there for the toss and the guy that’s been rubbed out has his name on the team sheet,” Ponting said. “I need to be clear, and Cricket Australia needs to be clear, on that.”

The hosts, who lead the series 1-0 after battling to save a draw in the first Test and producing an emphatic 320-run win in the second, also have a new captain in Mahendra Singh Dhoni after the retirement of legspinner Anil Kumble on Sunday.

Batsman V.V.S Laxman is playing his 100th Test and ex-skipper Sourav Ganguly will join Kumble in retirement after the game.

“One thing it (the Gambhir decision) does do is create a bit of confusion around their team,” Ponting said. “They’ll obviously have a lot of distractions going on. For us, it’s pretty plain sailing, we’ve just got to work out the best way to play in these conditions.”

Ponting will also have to decide whether to pick the spin pairing of Cameron White and rookie Jason Krejza or bring Krejza in alongside pacemen Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson.

Australia has been unable to dismiss India twice in any match over the past month, which has hindered its chances of victory.

“We’ve got to look at our overall balance,” Ponting said. “If we’re going to get Krejza into the side, does he come in for White or one of our quicks? It’s the big decision we’ve got to make.”

Tags: Australia, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008, India