Ponting keeps options open

Darren Lehmann may have offered to give up his place in the larger interest of the team, but captain Ricky Ponting is not ready to announce as yet whose head will roll when he eventually comes back from injury.

“There is going to be an unlucky batsman when I eventually do come back, and we don’t know which one it is yet,” said Ponting, who has also been ruled out of the third Test. Ponting felt that Lehmann’s comments that he was prepared to step down for Michael Clarke came a little too early.

“That was what was mystifying about what Darren said — there was no certainty that I was going to be back so he has made his statements about a week and a half too early.”

However, he admitted the decision, if it had to be taken, would be “very difficult”.