Melbourne [Australia], Sep 12 : Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has said that omission of batting all-rounder Glenn Maxwell from the 15-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan is a bit confusing for him as he did not get what exact message the selectors are trying to convey.
The 43-year-old further stated that selectors’ decision to deny him a chance to play for Australia A, which is on a tour to India, was also a bizarre thing for him to fathom.
“If I was Maxi I’d be thinking, ‘why didn’t you give me the chance to actually go there (to India) and push my case to get myself into the team?” That’s all a bit bizarre to me. If I was Maxi and I hadn’t been given the chance to play for Australia A, I’d be ropeable,” cricket.com.au quoted Ponting, as saying.
“They didn’t pick him on that Australia A tour and they’ve said they’ve seen him play enough in those conditions and knew what he could do. But if you think about it now, that must have actually meant they weren’t going to pick him at all. He didn’t even come into calculations for that Test tour. I’m not sure what the message is, but it’s a bit confusing to me,” he added.
Australian paceman Peter Siddle also expressed surprise over Maxwell’s dropping and said that the all-rounder was very much confident of his selection for the Test series.
“I was a little bit (surprised). Coming home and being around him yesterday, he was a little bit confident that he was going to be a part of this squad so he’ll be very disappointed,” Siddle said.
“I do feel for him, you always want your teammates to be in and around the squad and be a part of it with you. I know he’ll be shattered,” he added.
Australia are slated to play their first Test against Pakistan from July 7 in Dubai followed by the second match at Abu Dhabi from October 16.
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