Ponting back for third one-dayer

Ponting back for third one-dayer

THIRD ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, HYDERABAD:
India v Australia
Play starts Friday 0430 BST

Ponting has been building his fitness in the past week

Australia captain Ricky Ponting is expected to return for Friday's third one-day international against India.

As tensions grow in an escalating war of words between the rival camps, Australia can take a 2-0 lead in Hyderabad with four matches remaining.

Ponting is fit after a hamstring injury and Australia will also welcome back left-arm seamer Nathan Bracken, granted leave to attend the birth of his child.

Ponting replaces Brad Hodge, but it is less clear who makes way for Bracken.

Mitchell Johnson impressed in the Kochi win, but if he is retained in the side Australia would probably have to drop Brett Lee.

The build-up to the third game has been spiced up by comments from Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, who accused the Australians of arrogance and vulgar language.

Harbhajan pointed his bat in anger at the Australian fielders after his dismissal in Kochi, prompting umpire Steve Bucknor to intervene.

The experienced Indian accused the tourists of arrogance, suggesting they were still smarting from the semi-final defeat to eventual champions India in the ICC World Twenty20.

"They think they are superior and can do and say whatever they like, but that is not the case," Harbhajan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"They are very bad losers," he said.

"They say they play the game in the right spirit, but they don't in reality. There is nothing gentlemanly about the way they play.

"I don't have any problem with chit-chat on the field, so long as it is about the game. But when it is very personal and vulgar, that is not on.

"If they want to play like that, they'll get it back from us."

In the same match, India fast bowler Sree Santh clashed repeatedly with Australian batsmen and even appealed for a run-out against Andrew Symonds after the ball was ruled dead.

Symonds responded: "If you get an edge over them it starts to eat into them mentally.

"If we can play well here, it would be good to take that confidence and that success back home when they come to our place."

India's Sourav Ganguly, who missed the Kochi match with a hamstring strain, must pass a fitness before being considered for selection.