Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has backed the move of incumbent Ricky Ponting to pull out of a stint in the Indian Premier League, describing it as “a smart move and good decision”.
Ponting, who is currently leading the Australian team in South Africa, opted for a two-week break with his wife and daughter rather than press ahead with the two-week stint for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Ponting said his country came first and there was no way he could give his all for Australia if he played in India.
Waugh, who was in Sydney on Friday to promote the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Twenty20 game at the SCG on Sunday, supported Ponting’s stance.
“Financially guys do pretty well and these days, so I think it’s a smart move,” Waugh said.
“He’s captain of Australia, a lot of responsibilities, it’s going to be a tough 12 months coming up.
“So I think the two weeks will be invaluable for him to recharge the batteries, so it’s a pretty good decision.”
Waugh said while reality was probably setting in following a honeymoon period for the IPL, it gave valuable international experience to emerging players.
He said while South Africa were not as intimidating a place to play as some people made out, it would be tough for Australia to win the three-Test series.
Together with his opposing captain for Sunday’s match, another former Australian skipper Mark Taylor, Waugh believed South Africa would start favourites in the three-Test series commencing next week.
Both Taylor and Waugh believed one of Australia’s pace attack needed to excel in order for the visitors to topple the Proteas.
“One of the young fast bowlers needs to step up, whether it’s going to be Peter Siddle, or it’s a continuation of Mitchell Johnson’s last 18 months,” Taylor said.
“If one of those can step up and do what Stuart Clark did four years ago when he took 20 wickets out of the blue in his first Test series, Australia can win, there’s no doubt.
“I believe they are underdogs, but if they can get someone to take some wickets, they’ve got enough batsmen to make some runs.”
Left-handed opening batsman Taylor believed another player of the same ilk, uncapped youngster Phillip Hughes, had the ability to prosper at Test level.
“He’s proven to everyone that he can play at this level, there’s no doubt about it,” Taylor said of Hughes.
“Everyone thought maybe his first year was one of those first years you have and then he will drop away, but he hasn’t done that, he’s continued to make runs.
“He’s remained confident, so now it’s just a matter of remaining confident when he’s wearing a green helmet rather than a blue one.”
Waugh’s team for Sunday’s game includes his second cousin, singer Shannon Noll, boxer Anthony Mundine, Wallabies forward Phil Waugh, politician and rock star Peter Garrett and rugby league’s Braith Anasta.
Taylor’s side contains Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri, Sydney AFL forward Barry Hall, surfers Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning and league star Anthony Minichiello.
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