Ponting form not a matter of concern for Aussie coach

Melbourne, May 2 (UNI) Although, Ricky Ponting was not in the best of forms in his brief stint at the Indian Premier League, the Australian coach Tim Nielsen does not want draw any conclusions from his recent performances for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Apart from the two golden ducks, Ponting could manage only 39 runs at an average of 9.75 from his four games in the tournament.

''He'll come back and I am sure the opportunities to bat outside against net bowlers over there in India will hold him in good stead,'' Nielsen was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun.

''It will be great opportunity for him to come back (to Australia) with cricket under his belt and start to knuckle down and get himself right for Test match cricket,'' he said.

Nielsen further added that the stint at the IPL will hardly have any effect on the Australian captain and there was no question of extra workload.

''He has only played four games over there. He had a good six-day break between his second and third games,'' Nielsen said.

''They all understood the things I suppose they were compromising by going over to the IPL. They were giving up some time at home.

''But it's only been a couple of weeks over there. I suppose they were really looking at it as a chance to kick-start their preparations,'' he added.

The Australian players who were part of the ongoing IPL tournament have returned back home to attend a training camp for the Caribbean tour.

UNI XC RAR RKM KP2021