Ponting surprised at Maxwell exclusion from Australia squad

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is shocked over the omission of Glenn Maxwell from not only Australia's Test squad but also the preceding 'A' tour of India.

Maxwell was left out for the forthcoming two-Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

"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?'" Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"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," he added.

The Aussie team is without suspended batsmen Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft and uncapped pair of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head were both picked ahead of Maxwell.

"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," the 43-year-old said.

"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.

"With Marnus and Travis Head going on that A tour, they gave them the opportunity to play in those conditions, they've done well and then they picked them (for the Test squad)," Ponting added.

"I'm not sure what the message is, but it's a bit confusing to me," said Ponting who coached him in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and national limited-overs sides this year.

--IANS

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