Boxing Day Test: Hughes called up as cover for injured Ponting - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Australian opening batsman Phillip Hughes has been recalled as cover up for injured skipper Ricky Ponting for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, at the MCG starting on Saturday. Though X-rays of Ponting’s injured arm confirmed that there is no fracture, it showed some serious tendon damage, which could force the 35-year-old out of his first Test in five years. Ponting was hit above his left elbow while trying to duck out of a fiery 146km/h delivery from Roach, but he bravely batted on through pain for 40 minutes before retiring hurt on 23 runs. Team physiotherapist, Alex Kountouris, has described his injured arm as ‘meat bashed with a mallet’. “He’s in doubt for Melbourne, there’s no doubt about it because his arm has been quite sore. It’s almost like when you get meat and bash it with a mallet to soften it down, that’s what happened,” Kountouris said. “The fibres have been squashed and disrupted in the tendon. Now every time he uses that muscle he gets a little tearing of the muscle fibres, that’s the potential,” he explained further. Hughes has not played a Test since being dropped for the Edgbaston Test against England in favour of all rounder Shane Watson, but his recent form in the domestic tournaments has convinced national selector Andrew Hilditch's panel. Australia Team for the Boxing Day Test: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Phillip Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Clint McKay, Marcus North, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson.