New Pakistan Test skipper Shahid Afridi has been put on notice by rival Ricky Ponting, who suggested the enigmatic all-rounder had been promoted for his leadership credentials rather than playing ability in the long format.
Ponting claimed his pacemen would ''sort him out'' in their two-Test clash in England next month.
''He hasn't played a lot of Test cricket of late, if you read between the lines he's almost in there as a leader and captain, not necessarily one of their best Test players,'' Ponting said. ''We will test him out. I think even with our one-dayers in Australia last [summer] with our quicks bowling the way they did to him, I think we can sort him out in Test cricket, that's for sure.''
Ponting also said Afridi seemed to be the last option for Pakistan's selectors, following the comical axing and suspensions of a long line of previous captains.
''I guess with him being Twenty20 captain there was a natural succession to him being Test captain, with all the other guys they've tried there having not succeeded,'' Ponting said. ''But that's irrelevant to us, it doesn't matter who is captain, it doesn't matter who is playing, we'll just have to make sure we're focused on the little things we need to, and be the best team we can be.''
Pakistan great Imran Khan supported Afridi this week, saying: ''Afridi should be given a long run as Pakistan captain. Since I retired in 1992, Australia has had only three captains, while Pakistan has had more than two dozen and that is why there is a big difference between Pakistan and Australia.''
Ponting was in a bullish mood yesterday, also firing a warning to Andrew Strauss before this summer's Ashes battle, claiming his team will be far better prepared this time.
''I don't think they'll be much different, I think if they get back to full strength they'll have [James] Anderson, [Graeme] Onions, there was talk of [Steve] Harmison being involved again - I think their side could be identical to what it was during the last series,'' Ponting said.
''What will be different with us though is we've got another 10, 12 to 15 Test matches under the belt of some of our young guys who were probably found wanting at different times throughout the last series.
''Experience was the only difference between the two teams in England last time around. We played some great cricket, we played some pretty ordinary cricket and I think we played some ordinary cricket just because guys hadn't been there and experienced it before.
''That is certainly what we've been working on, giving those guys exposure and letting them work their own way through different situations at Test level. I think all the guys have come through the last 12 months with flying colours. If England bring the same side out they'll meet a different Australian team, for sure.''
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